It's been many, many years since I've dabbled in FF at all, but this little piece slowly worked its way out of my head. And just like before, I own no rights to them...standard disclaimer applies.


Face paused for a moment in the sticky, damp darkness and took a few breaths to change his frame of mind before entering the tent. Hopefully, he'd just be able to slide into his cot without anyone being any the wiser. He wished. He groaned as he ducked his head in. Of course Hannibal was awake. Of course he was. The man never slept.

"Curfew was three hours ago, Lieutenant." Calm, quiet, yet firm, Hannibal didn't move or even look up from the papers in his hand. "Get what you needed?"

He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them to find his Colonel staring directly at him from where he sat at the rickety card table in the middle of the tent, papers finally down beside the dim light. He took a second to let his eyes find BA and Murdock, both asleep. BA stretched out on his cot, mumbling now and then in his sleep, while Murdock lay shirtless and curled into a tight ball on Face's cot, a thin pillow over his head. Face let his eyes fall on him for a few seconds before finally settling into a chair at the table. "He having a rough night?"

Hannibal shrugged. "Least he's sober."

"So am I." At Hannibal's dubious look, Face added, "Mostly. Maybe he shouldn't be."

"Can't have him in the air hungover." Hannibal passed Face a paper and watched him quickly scan it.

"Orders?"

"Morrison says if we're ready." Hannibal eyed him carefully. "Sober my ass," he muttered. "You think he's ready? You ready, Lieutenant?"

It was no secret to any of them that Murdock was teetering on the edge of sanity, hovering between moments of mania and pretending all was well. No, Face knew, he wasn't ready. No one was really sleeping that well yet. But he also knew the alternative, which not a one of them was willing to let happen. "Morrison still breathing down your neck about him?" Face leaned in and dropped his voice to a whisper to make sure that just if by chance Murdock was awake, he couldn't hear him. "Hell, it's only been five days, Colonel. He's been working on that knee,..."

"Knee will be fine. That's not my concern." Hannibal eyed Face carefully. At least with a good buzz going, he knew the kid was more apt to truth telling. He sighed. Kids. Everyone one of these young men were just kids just a few years ago, and now here they were, barely adults. All three of them should be figuring out their futures, not in the middle of a war he knew they were never going to win. He slowly tipped his chair back and let it balance on wobbly legs. "Think he'll keep it together?"

"Hell. Up there's the only place he is keeping it together. Sir." Face held out his hand and returned the paper to Hannibal, who silently noted the slightest quiver of his young second's hand. "He could do this drop blindfolded. We could do this with one hand behind our backs." He paused for a beat. "It's a test."

Hannibal nodded. "An easy one. More about going through the motions than anything else. For all of us," he added. "Next one's not though. There's something bigger coming down the pipeline." He shook his head at Face's look asking for more details. "Not now. For now," he took the papers and stacked them neatly before folding them together and tapping the card table lightly. "I need you on your A game come daybreak."

Face managed to flash him his best, most convincing smile as he stood, taking a second with his hand on the table and finding his footing. He finally nodded. "Course. I'm always on my A game, Colonel."