The Concept of Settling Down

[notjustaface]

It's been a long couple years, and it's starting to wear on Face - it's starting to wear on all of them, he thinks. And no matter how hard the boss pushes it feels like they're never going to get close to the ultimate goal... to clearing their names and being anything but men on the run.

The natural instinct, the instinct of a con-man, is to find a place and dig in. Start over. New identities, new roots. Of course, that's something he can't voice - not even to Murdock. He knows they wouldn't understand why it's the most viable option when as far as they're concerned freedom could possibly be right around the damn corner.

Still, a little settling down doesn't sound like a half bad idea.

They're just over the US-Mexico border heading into Texas on day four of job that only seems to be getting longer. They won't be stopping until Canada, save for maybe a night in a hotel when they're all so tired and angry at each other they can't think straight. It's Hannibal's shift to drive and BA's tucked into the passenger seat beside them, leaving Murdock and Face to fight against the sway and bump of the dark cargo hold with a few pillows and blankets and their limited baggage.

Groping blindly Face finds Murdock's hand and wraps his fingers around it, squeezing gently. "I'll be glad when this is all over."

Comments

[notthatcrazy]

He nods, silently. He makes it sound so... final.

One more job, then a month's rest. They can do this.

[notjustaface]

Exhausted, but thankful, Face takes what he can get out of it.

"We can do that. I... I can do that."

[notthatcrazy]

The matter settled - for the most part - they eat the rest of the meal in relative silence. Extricating himself from his partner's arms, he catches up to Hannibal as he goes to leave.

"Can I talk to you, boss? In private?"

[notjustaface]

Face, for his part, is more or less asleep on the sofa - waiting for Murdock to wake him for bed, assuming they get one.

Hannibal looks up from a file on the next mission, clearly tired but still determined to give it one last read. "Sure, of course."

[notthatcrazy]

He's still a bit fidgety, but he feels somewhat calmer after their talk.

"Just wanted to thank you for listenin' to us. And I kinda wanted to talk to you about Face."

He glances back at him, a faint smile crossing his face as he watches his boyfriend sleep. Sleep is the only time he looks anything approaching innocent.

[notjustaface]

The thanks he'll take quietly, they talked and he listened and made the only compromise he was comfortable with.

Face, however, is another topic.

"What did he get himself wrapped up in now?" He doesn't pretend to know everything his lieutenant has up his sleeve - even he can't be all knowing despite his best efforts - but he knows if anyone has a pulse on what he's done it'd be his partner in crime.

[notthatcrazy]

"It's nothing like that." He doesn't actually know the full extent of Face's plans, and something tells him that's by design.

"I'm kinda worried about him, actually."

[notjustaface]

Some things are best left unknown.

Hannibal raises an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair as he closes the file - giving Murdock his full attention. If it's enough to make the pilot worry out loud, it's at least worth listening to.

"Worried?" He asks calmly; "About what, exactly?"

[notthatcrazy]

"You know he told me we might want to have a first aid kit on hand for that little chat?"

He's not sure how much of that was serious and how much was the exhaustion and nerves talking, but he's still concerned. Part of him still believes he deserves to be hurt.

He holds up a hand to forestall Hannibal's protest. "Look, I know you've known him longer than I have and that there are times he really does need a swift kick to knock some sense into him, but it worries me that he'd think that about this."

[notjustaface]

The remark draws a half smile - because while he would protest it must be a joke, they are all well aware this leave is granted under duress. If Murdock hadn't been there to hold his partner back there was a very real chance it could have gotten physical.

He takes the last cigar from his pocket, rolling it in his fingers absently as he considers how to approach the unspoken question.

After a long pause, he asks; "Has he ever told you exactly how he came under my command?"

[notthatcrazy]

He's well aware that Face can be... not to put too fine a point on it, a complete asshole sometimes. But that doesn't mean he's going to be okay with this, no matter how warranted it may or may not be.

"He told me he almost got kicked out more than a few times before you took him on, but that's all I know."

[notjustaface]

"Some how..." Hannibal smiled fondly, shaking his head again; "...he always managed to get out of his scrapes with kitchen duty and threats of court-martial, but then he had to go for one big sweep."

He lit the cigar, inhaling deeply. "I was sitting on his court-martial; he was a Sergeant then and he'd been charged with stealing the general's car, sleeping with his seventeen year old daughter and then trading the car to insurgents for contraband. All true - but, of course, he had his reasons." Hannibal let out a shallow laugh; "Not that they were good ones, but they passed for reasonable back then. He was facing a dishonorable discharge and I pulled every favor I had left with the General to get him busted down to Corporal with six months to prove he'd changed his ways."

[notthatcrazy]

He nods, taking in the story.

"You must've seen the good in him though, to let him on the team."

[notjustaface]

"He was one of the best snipers I'd ever seen," Hannibal stares back down at the file, going over ancient-seeming memories. "And his resourcefulness was impressive well before he even put it to use for than his own purposes."

Taking another long drag, he exhales with a reserved sigh. "Back then, not that it isn't still true now, the only way to get through to him was for things to get physical. And if you weren't prepared to take him down sexually, violence was the only avenue."

[notthatcrazy]

"I get that," he says quietly. "But I still don't like it."

Hannibal still sees him as the impetuous kid with too much cunning and not enough common sense, and he doesn't see that he's... not just that, anymore.

[notjustaface]

In a lot of ways he still is, and Hannibal probably won't ever see past the guy that thinks with his little head first, followed closely by his pride and his wallet.

"You don't have to like it, Captain." Hannibal replies in an authoritative baritone. "But if you plan on holding his hand to keep him out of trouble, I'm afraid you're more deluded than I like to think."

[notthatcrazy]

He goes cold at the remark, and if it were anyone other than Hannibal, there'd be more than words being thrown.

"You didn't see me punch him in the face after that shit he pulled."

He shakes his head, frustrated beyond words.

"And you weren't there after that to see how utterly convinced he is that he's a horrible person."

[notjustaface]

And Murdock didn't see the man washed out in a bathtub wearing his own vomit and blubbering about not being able to lie his way out of the problem he'd made for himself. That man wasn't much different than the kid he'd thrown into the side of a tank to stop him from ruining his military career for the Nth time.

"You stood up for yourself once, but you've made it clear you prefer to make excuses for his behavior. We both know the way he's treated you, do you really think he's changed?" His eyes narrow and he puffs idly at his cigar, remembering not too long ago when Face seemed bent on driving the pilot into the ground romancing any woman that came within fifty yards when it was obvious things were more than friendly on the homefront. "I don't want you to forget that in the end, this is all a game to him and he's on his own team."

[notthatcrazy]

"I think we both have. But you can't see it."

He pushes away from the table they've been talking over and crosses his arms.

"I'm done. I'll see you in the morning."

[notjustaface]

It's fair enough, and Hannibal's willing to let him go. He wants to believe Peck has changed - but if anything the way he demanded to break away from the bigger picture just makes it look more like he's about to go off the deep end again. He knows Murdock can't pick up those pieces if he fucks it up again so soon after the last time.

Face isn't always going to have someone to help clean up his messes.

"Captain." He states firmly; raising an eyebrow. "I know you think I'm too hard on him, but it's what he needs to keep a good head on his shoulders. He thinks he can do anything until he's up to his neck in a situation he can't fix. It's my job to make sure he doesn't have enough rope to hang himself with."

[notthatcrazy]

It's a long while before he trusts himself to speak.

"I ain't tellin' you how to do your job. But as hard as you are on him, I'm tellin' you he's harder on himself. And every time you have to kick him back into line, it adds fuel to that fire."

In all fairness, this would probably be true even if he wasn't using physical force to do it.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I really would like to go to bed."

[notjustaface]

"I'm not telling you any this as your commanding officer..." And even if he was, they all know at this point rank is something they follow out of habit - because it's what they've always done and it gives some structure to their life. "...but as someone who cares very much about both of you."

His voice drops to a soft murmur and he stubs out his cigar in the ashtray as he says; "Watch out for him, but watch out for yourself too."

He's said his piece and opens the file once more, making it clear that they both know there's nothing more either of them can add to the discussion. It's late, and they're all ragged and worn down in every possible way. Still, there are things that need to be said.

[notthatcrazy]

He nods to him, acknowledging the remark as he heads back to the sofa and kneels next to his partner.

"Hey baby," he says softly, running a hand through his hair. "You ready to turn in?"

[notjustaface]

Face has been in and out, bits and pieces of what sounded like a heated conversation even over the dull roar of BA's snore from the closest bed caught his attention in between dozing moments. "Hmmm?" He manages his eyes partially open at the gentle touch, licking his dry lips.

"Yeah... a'right... gotta use the john."

He clings to Murdock's elbow as he pushes up on the arm of the small sofa - tugging at his sleeve in what he hopes might be noticed as a sign he should come too. Whatever's going on, it sounded like something he should know about.

[notthatcrazy]

He's a little bemused by the pulling, but he follows along after him.

"You okay?"