Needing to Feel Part 3

Hannibal thought it would be best if he kept away from Face for a couple of days, they both needed to calm down. But he stopped short of ordering Murdock and BA to stay away as well, he was actually trying to help the kid here, not drive him insane. The more he thought about it, the more he felt uncomfortable about this whole thing. He kept going back to the way that Face had flinched when Hannibal had yelled the death wish comment at him. He thought about Face taking on Croxton's stupid bike stunt, the crazy look he had had in his eyes as he ran from the grenades in the tank, his hysterical laughter in the desert when Hannibal had thought he was dying. The way he had only objected to being told he was risking the lives of his friends and not his own life... It looked like this Sosa thing was cutting pretty deep.

 

Hannibal hadn't really taken to her either, had been surprised that Face had. She was so... cool with him all the time. But maybe that was the attraction for Face. He'd certainly never had to work so hard for a girl before, especially considering that she was the one who had approached him. She'd walked right up to him while they were enjoying a drink after a good job done with two beers in her hands. Ignoring Hannibal, BA and Murdock she had looked right into Face's eyes and said, “You're Face right?” he'd nodded, the smile like quick silver flowing across his features, “I've heard a lot about you. Fancy a beer?” She'd held one of the frosted glasses out to him and he'd taken it without pause. They didn't see him for three days after that.

 

And that was when it started. It was on, off, on again, off again. One night Face would storm in ranting about her being such an Ice Queen, the next, he would disappear with her for days at a time. Three weeks ago, he and Hannibal were drinking scotch in Hannibal's quarters and Face had started rambling on about love, marriage, kids, homes, swings in the garden and wondering how all that fit with the army. Sosa had never struck Hannibal as a 'swings in the garden' type of girl. Maybe that's why she had bolted...

 

Anyway – whatever had happened, it had obviously left Face reeling, and that was why he was best locked up for now. Save him from himself... Face had plenty of issues with trusting and loving and also liking when it came to himself. Trust Sosa to barrel right in and fuck him all up again when Hannibal had spent fifteen years gluing him together...

 

By the end of the fourth day, however, he felt enough was enough. He grabbed a bottle of scotch and headed off to Face's quarters. He fully intended to have a chat, not a dressing down, there was no room for army etiquette in tonight's plan, just a chat. But even so, Hannibal did not intend leaving until he was satisfied with what he was hearing. Even if it took him all night.

 

Fifty metres from Face's quarters he ran into Murdock, or rather, Murdock ran into him, sprinting wilding round the corner of the mess.

 

“Whoa, soldier! Where's the fire?” he joked as he grabbed Murdock's elbow to stop him falling.

 

“Oh, hey, Boss,” Murdock mumbled.

 

Hannibal's stomach contracted as he looked at Murdock's face, “What?” he asked, instantly worried.

 

Murdock sighed, and looked from left to right, almost like he was checking for back-up before he reached out his arm and held a piece of paper out to Hannibal.

 

Hannibal frowned as he took it, then read it through, his heart beating faster with every word.

Murdock – Croxton has a job for me tonight, so I'm skipping school.

See if you can keep the old man off my tail hey?

Thanks buddy - F

 

Hannibal had recognised the writing instantly – the neat script the result of many hours writing out prayers, poems, hymns and bible verses under the watchful eyes of the nuns, and he had known what it would say before he'd read a word. Fuck!

 

“Murdock, go get BA, we're moving out.” Hannibal was already on the move.

 

“Sure thing Boss,” Murdock was jogging alongside his CO, “When we going?”

 

“As soon as I've had a little chat with Croxton...” Hannibal murmured, his expression murderous.

Needing to Feel Part 4

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Needing to Feel Final Part

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