'The Hat'

By: Dragonfire100

Summary: Three times Murdock let his team wear his most sacred possession, No Slash Bromance abounds!

Chapter 1: Faceman

The room smelled strongly of antiseptic and harsh cleaners. Captain H.M. Murdock entered slowly glancing around a tad anxiously, hospitals always made him nervous.

He looked up at the bed sequestered away in the small room. Lieutenant Templeton Peck known as Face to his friends, occupied said bed looking tired. His right arm was in a sling and there were bags under his eyes, his normally well kept hair was a little tossed. All in all he looked miserable.

"Hey Faceman," Murdock said with a half smile approaching the bed. The conman looked like hell, but who could blame him? He'd taken a round to the shoulder as they'd started to make their get away on they're latest mission, the fourth since they'd become a team.

It was the first time any of them had been seriously injured, sure they'd walked away with cuts and bruises but this...Murdock recalled it all with vivid clarity...

"FACE!" Murdock watched as the Lieutenant jerked back and fell hard to the ground. They'd both taken cover behind an old car but one of the bastards had managed to get a lucky shot in. His call drew the attention of Hannibal and B.A. the two men having taken cover behind some crates. He quickly knelt down next to him, eyes widening at the sight of blood quickly staining the conman's shoulder

"Ah jeeze Faceman." Murdock shouted above the harsh sounds of gunfire, he quickly pulled a bandana out of his pocket and pressed it to the wound. Face groaned and cursed jerking slightly.

"Easy Facey easy, don't you worry ol Murdock will getcha out of here, you just hang on." The pilot rambled.

Suddenly Hannibal and B.A. were by his side the Colonel cursing and looking worried while B.A. continued to return fire on the enemy casting them worried glances.

"I've got him Captain, you and B.A. get to that chopper and take care of those guys." The Colonel ordered voice strained with worry. Murdock hesitated looking uncertain and dammit he was scared, scared for Face that he wouldn't be fast enough.

Hannibal put a hand on his shoulder giving him a look of reasurence."He'll be fine Captian, but not if you don't get to that chopper and I don't want to hear it B.A.!" He gave the Corporal a look as the man hunkered down a familiar look in his eyes, that hardened when he looked down at Face. A steely resolve seemed to come over Bosco then and he gave a jerky nod, he'd get on that chopper, for Face.

Murdock mean while had taken off his hat wringing it in his hands before he carefully but quickly placed it on Face's head.

The Lieutenant half conscious and in a fare amount of pain took a moment to register what had happened.

"Mur-Murdock- wha?"

"You hang on to that Facey, you just-hang on." He ordered gripping his shoulder, before joining B.A. a split second later.

It didn't take them long to get to that chopper, after which Murdock had taken some pleasure in 'taking care of' the enemy, using the birds superior weapons. After that well it was a mad race back to base with Face loosing blood and Hannibal telling him to hang on. All the while Murdock's hat remained on the conmans head the only form of comfort and support the pilot could give his friend in those tense moments of what ifs.

Now almost forty eight hours later, Face was no longer in danger of, well...the doctor had told them they could come in and visit with the Lieutenant but only for a few minutes. Hannibal had hung back to have a little more of a chat with the doc and B.A. had run off somewhere, probably trying to come to terms with the fact that he'd flown. The big guy wouldn't have gone far though and was probably just moments behind the pilot.

"Hey," Face said catching Murdock's attention."Doc says I'm gonna be fine, you know that right?" The conman eyed his best friend.

"I-I know Faceman it's just," Murdock rubbed the back of his neck with one hand."That was real close."

Face tried to give him a reassuring half smile."We livin' on the edge man, it's what we do."

Murdock tentatively returned the smile.

"Think I've got something that belongs to you though." Face said after a moment smirking, amusement in his tired half lidded eyes. Murdock frowned watching as the conman pulled out something from behind his pillow. With a wince he produced the Captains worn red hat.

Murdock beamed at the sight of it, reaching for it but seemed to pause half way through. His face grew a tad serious as he withdrew his hand.

"Nah Face, you keep it, for now."

Face blinked in surprise. "Uh, thanks buddy but why-"

"Hat's seen me through some crazy rough times, think you could use a bit of it's ever worn comfort." He said with a smirk.

Everyone knew how much the Captain coveted that hat, it was practically sacred, no one but Murdock was ever allowed to wear it, hell the guy practically showered with it. For him to let Face even touch it, well that was saying something.

"Ok," Carefully Face placed the hat on his head a warmth settling in his chest that wasn't the good drugs. The hat practically was Murdock, letting him barrow it was like he was giving Face a part of himself, and he was not about to turn that away."I'll keep an eye on it buddy."

Murdock looked satisfied and beyond relieved his friend was alive.

Hannibal and B.A. joined them moments later, neither one made any comments about the hat though there was a knowing glint in the Colonel's eye. This had been a close one, and it had shaken them all to the core.

There would be many other close calls for the Lieutenant, each time, Murdock gave Face his hat to ware. It had become a sort of ritual for them, a claim of friendship and family, because Murdock didn't share his hat with just anyone.

A/N hope you enjoyed it! thanks for reading!

~Fire