Separation, Anxiety

[notjustaface]

It hadn't been a particularly hard mission, at least not by comparison to some of the stunts they've managed in the last ten years, but there was one fatal point where it could fall apart. Face had approximately sixty seconds to make it from tunnel to the next - a journey that shouldn't take more than forty-five seconds - before enemy's defensive explosion went off leaving him not only trapped but pinned down and unable to escape assuming he survived the event.

An unexpected sniper cut thirty seconds off the time he had. He was four seconds too late... just behind enough the blast didn't take him out - but not out. He was trapped behind the line, and utterly fucked.

"Put her in the air, Captain." Hannibal says softly, staring at the plume of dust and debris for any sign that Face had made it through last second. There was none.

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[notjustaface]

He's not fighting any more, merely lying there with his eyes closed. Hannibal has taken then liberty of dropping one side bar to sit on the narrow cot beside him, one hand free of the restraints and gripping his tight.

"It's gonna be all right," Hannibal says calmly, squeezing his hand even tighter; "You're safe now. We're gonna get you out of here... there's a crash house a days drive out that nobody will find."

Face doesn't reply so much a groans low in his throat and licks his dry lips.

Raising his eyes to Murdock, Hannibal adds; "Murdock's here now. I'm going to get up and give you two some privacy, in about twenty minutes we're going to carry you out of here to somewhere they won't find us."

[notthatcrazy]

His own eyes are still a little watery, but he's mostly calmed down. He reaches down to pick up his rings from where they'd been dropped, nearly forgotten in all the chaos.

With a brief nod of thanks, he takes Hannibal's place as the others take their leave. There's a fragile sort of stillness in the room that feels like it shouldn't be broken, but he doesn't want to be silent either.

"Hey."

He reaches for Face's free hand, still not sure if he'll be wanted.

"I'm here. It's gonna be okay."

[notjustaface]

It's almost reflex to grip the offered hand as tight as he can - which is really barely curling his fingers to hang on. For some reason, as blurry as his mind is it still feels good. Feels right.

"I'm not dead." He says softly, barely opening his blue eyes to try and see the other man clearly. "I thought I was."

[notthatcrazy]

"No, you're not," he agrees, his voice still quiet and calm. "We got you out in time."

He rubs his thumb along his bruised knuckles, trying not to worry about how weak his grip is. He knows the physical damage will heal... everything else will take a lot more time and care to recover from.

[notjustaface]

What Hannibal neglected to mention is just how far back his memory is fractured, but it shows when he hears the waver in Murdock's voice.

"We'll get this sorted out back at base."

[notthatcrazy]

Shit. That's really not good.

"Hannibal's gonna get us somewhere safe..."

He's not going to ask what he remembers. He's pretty sure that wouldn't help, and even if that's not the case he's almost scared to find out the answer.

[notjustaface]

He nods as best he can, still not entirely aware of the extend of his injuries. "Mmm, can't be down too long - got something special waitin' on our flight home." He half-chuckles, the shooting pain in his ribs enough to crush that idea entirely.

"Might haveta take a rain check for a couple days though."

[notthatcrazy]

He shifts away from him just slightly, not wanting his distress to show on his face.

"Might be a good idea."

He manages to look at him again, with a not entirely convincing smile. If Face was thinking clearly, he'd see through it in a second.

"You gonna be okay to move soon? We don't have long."

[notjustaface]

He may be drugged out as hell and taken one too many blows to the head but he still knows when something's going not right.

"Yeah... yeah..." he answers dryly, looking toward the pitcher of water on the stand closest to the bed yet still out of his reach. "Boss said there's a van, are you gonna fly us out or is the general sending in reinforcements?" It's pretty classing, trying to figure out just how fucked their mission is because he got caught.

[notthatcrazy]

His body language isn't doing much to hide his discomfort, unfortunately.

"We're taking the van first. Hannibal's still working out the rest of the plan."

In other words, yeah, things got kind of fucked. He has no idea how to explain the rest of the situation.

[notjustaface]

Right, there was always a plan. Not always a good plan but a plan no less.

"Water?" He asks, leaning his head toward the pitcher. "And maybe loosen the bondage gear a bit?"

[notthatcrazy]

That actually gets him to smile just a little. It sounds a lot more like the Face he knows...albeit a bit more flippant than he's used to him being lately.

He belatedly realizes he's still holding his rings in his hand, and slips the chain back around his neck where it belongs before reaching for the water.

"Sorry we had to use those. I'll help you get 'em off in a second."

[notjustaface]

His eyes are still pretty blurry, but the glint of metal catches his attention long enough to derail any previous thought he'd had - or maybe it's the drugs talking. For a moment he stares, thinking that something seems wrong or out of place, and then he closes his eyes and lets himself relax back against the flat bed.

"Thanks man."

[notthatcrazy]

He hasn't bothered to tuck the chain under his shirt, so the jewelry is still plainly visible. He lets himself linger for a bit, pouring him some water and helping him keep his hand steady as he drinks.

"Any time."

He sighs, finding a spot on the narrow bed as Face lays back down. "Still sleepy?"

They did have to knock him out pretty good.

[notjustaface]

Sitting up as best he can, when he opens his eyes again the sight is much clearer and as he answers he reaches out and idly touches the bands with his fingertips before he's once more thankfully horizontal enough his body stops throbbing.

"Colonel said I tried to kill someone. Guess I was pretty whacked to need sedatives."

[notthatcrazy]

"Yeah... you were fightin' pretty hard."

He takes his hand briefly as he reaches out, before moving to undo the rest of the straps. He settles down beside him to rest for the few precious moments they can spare.

"It'll be okay. I'm- we're gonna take care of you."

[notjustaface]

"I'm fine," Face responds quickly, licking his lips as he shakes away the strangeness as just Murdock being Murdock; "didn't even get shot this time."

He manages a weak smile, eyes half-lidded; "You look like shit though."

[notthatcrazy]

He doesn't tell him how close his captors were to putting a bullet in him before they rescued him. Or how he'd screamed at them to end it in his drug-fueled panic afterward.

"I feel like it," he admits. "We came really close to losing you back there."

He's trying not to think about what else he might have lost.

[notjustaface]

His expression fades instantly, but he swallows back the lump in his throat and manages to say; "Another week, another brush with death, right?"

Changing the subject feels a hell of a lot easier than dealing with mortality in his state so he adds; "Thought you weren't allowed to accessorize after the whole friendship bracelet incident."

[notthatcrazy]

He can't help sighing, a low sad sound that's probably going to draw more questions from Face.

"There's a lot we need to talk about... Hannibal's gonna be here soon."

As if on cue, there's a quiet knock at the door.

[notjustaface]

A curious, concerned look crosses his face but they've got bigger fish to fry right now.

"Clock is ticking, boys. Unless you feel the need to deal with a lot of very angry terrorists we need to get moving. BA, help Murdock get him out of here. Murdock, there's a back board over there we can transfer him to - I don't want him moving until we know for sure how bad his ribs are."

"I am awake here," Face groans, "I'm fine... I can walk..."

"You can fall on your ass." BA answers, already pulling his IV.

"He's right, you're in no shape to move right now but staying here puts everyone in danger. Just get some rest, it's long ride."

[notthatcrazy]

It's always easier to distract himself when there's a job to do. He helps get Face transferred to the board, their combined strength moving him easily despite his muttered protests.

"Just hang tight. We got ya."

They move out as quickly as they can, ignoring the looks they're getting as they do so. It's clear they really shouldn't be taking him away from proper medical care so soon, but they don't really have any choice.

They're finally able to get him settled once they make it to the van - BA chose well. He impulsively wraps an arm around Face's relatively uninjured shoulder, pressing a quick kiss to a particular scar near his hairline. If he doesn't remember that much, he can pass it off as Murdock being overly clingy.

"Rest now, baby."

The endearment slips out without his really intending it to. Hopefully Face is still tired enough not to call him on it.

[notjustaface]

Like it or not, he's exhausted. Even in the moderate confusion he's nearly out again when he's slid into the van and braced on his back along the rear.

"M'fine," he mutters, trying his best to smile at Murdock's fussing. "No problem."

[notthatcrazy]

He doesn't answer that right away. He keeps on holding his hand, watching the rise and fall of his breathing as BA gets them on the road. When he does speak again, it's not to Face.

"I don't know how much longer we can do this, boss."

How many more near-death experiences can they possibly have before their luck runs out?

[notjustaface]

Hannibal frowns in the front seat, keeping his eyes on the stretch ahead of them as BA follows his directions toward the middle of nowhere. It takes a long time for him to answer, he knows exactly what Murdock is saying and admittedly he's had the thought himself.

"He's fine," Hannibal answers several minutes later, "traumatic regression is a normal response with what he's been through. It'll come back to him." Rolling his half burned cigar between his fingers, he addd; "I won't let this happen again."