Title: The Magic Touch

Author: Lucy Mae

Fandom: A-Team

Pairing: None

Rated G

Summary: Murdock gets some TLC from Hannibal.

Warnings: Extreme mush, although I have wrote even mushier!! Contains
hurt/comfort. No slash.

Achive: Yes

Disclaimer: Don’t own em, wish I did!

Author's Note: The Magic Touch, is a scene taking place after the tag to 'The Rabbit Who Ate Las Vegas'

Hannibal sighed in relief, as he spotted the young man walking slowly on the side of the highway. "Pull up beside him, B.A," he said.

"Right Hannibal."

Murdock smiled brightly as the turned to see the A-team van drive up along side him.

"Hi guys." he said while climbing in the side door.

"Murdock, what were you doing on the runway?" Hannibal asked.

"Trying to hitch a ride Colonel. You see if I did it just right..."

Hannibal rolled his eyes, as did B.A, "You could have been hurt."

"Naw, I know how to get out of the way. I know just when a plane is going to lift up, and at what speed it has to be at first."

"Shut up fool, you could have been caught, and got us all in trouble, did you ever think of that?" B.A lectured.

Murdock hung his head, all his life his mind had wandered, sometimes not thinking of the consequences of his actions. To him all that mattered was what was happening now, at that second, everything else was insignificant. But there were times, like right now, where he was made to feel stupid by others, like everything that had just excited him meant nothing, and he was foolish for expressing his feelings or interest. He sat quietly, deciding they wouldn’t understand anyhow.

"Find us a motel B.A, we could all use some rest." Hannibal said.

They drove for another half hour, no one saying much, until a loud sneeze startled everyone.

"Sorry," Murdock mumbled. Hannibal pulled a couple Kleenexes from his pocket, and handed them to Murdock. "Blow your nose kid, looks like you may have caught something on that runway after all."

Murdock sneezed again, and blew his nose. "I’m okay."

"I better not catch it." Face said.

"You might not have a choice Face, we have to lay low for a while, and will be in the same motel room for probably a week."

"Ohhhh, Hannibal, can’t we figure out something better, I don’t want to share a bed with him." Face whined.

"Stop complaining Lieutenant, we are all in the same boat. Murdock when we get to the motel, I want you to have a hot bath, and get right into bed, if you're catching something, the best thing for you is rest."

"Yes Sir." came a quiet reply.

They stopped a short while later, at a small motel, and Hannibal registered them under an anonymous name. Murdock did as he was told, and started a bath. His throat was hurting, but he didn’t want to complain, so he stayed quiet. After stripping down, he climbed into the hot water, and laid back. Whenever he felt sick his mind wandered to his mother, and he wished she was near by. As he thought of her tears stung the back of his eye lids. He tried to force his thoughts away, knowing the team would not understand. A small knock on the door helped bring his thoughts back to the present.

"Murdock, you okay in there?" Hannibal was asking.

"Uhhh....yeah...uhh...almost done..."

"You want something to eat? We are going to the diner here."

"Uhh...no...I don’t feel like eating..."

"Okay, we’ll be back soon, get some rest." the older man told him.

"I will, Colonel."

Murdock was relieved to be alone, and he dressed in his pajamas, and climbed into the far side of the furthest bed. He had a teddy bear tucked against his chest, that the team didn’t know he had, "snuggles," had been his teddy all his life, and he rarely slept through a night without him. Although he tried, thoughts of his mother kept returning to his mind, glad he was alone, he let the tears fall on the pillow. His throat was hurting worse now, and the stuffiness in his nose had worsened from the crying. He sat up and blew his nose, then layed back down. Moments later the door opened and he closed his eyes, faking being asleep. That way he wouldn’t have to talk, and he didn’t trust his voice right now.

He heard them all whispering.

"Close the curtains B.A," Hannibal said.

He listened as the tv was turned on, but kept low, and felt the bed dip as someone sat down beside him.

"Where’s my bag Hannibal?" Face asked.

"By the wall, where you left it kid." came the reply from next to him. Hannibal was beside him Murdock thought, which he was glad of. He was relieved, Hannibal always had more patients with him than B.A or Face. Murdock had always secretly wished that Hannibal had been his father, he always understands everything he thought.

He felt another dip in the bed, and a hand on his forehead. He knew he was hot, and Hannibal would probably notice.

"Face bring me a cold face cloth please." the older man said. Next thing he felt was a cool cloth against his forehead, and turned on to his back, making sure to keep his bear safely under the covers. He coughed a little.

"You want us to get some cough medicine for you Murdock?" Hannibal asked. Murdock opened his eyes, to see his commanders blue eyes full of concern, looking down at him. Instantly Hannibal noticed the red eyes, and the tear stained pillow.

"Uhh guys, why don’t you both go, get some cough syrup, and some cold medication." Hannibal told B.A and Face.

"But I’m in my pajamas." Face complained.

"Well change back." Hannibal replied.

Face quickly changed back to his clothes, and followed B.A out the door. Both had a feeling Hannibal wanted to talk to Murdock alone.

"There.." Hannibal said, turning his attention back to Murdock. "Now it’s just the two of us, want to tell me what’s wrong." he coaxed.

Murdock quickly shook his head, and sniffled back more tears. "Nothing."

"Murdock, there is nothing you can’t tell me, it’s okay..... let’s get you sitting up first." He slipped a hand under Murdocks back, and helped the young man sit up. Murdock quickly pulled the blankets up, when he noticed part of the bear’s ear was exposed.

With Hannibal, not many things went unnoticed, and he saw the quick action. "What do you have in there?" he asked.

Murdock tightened the blanket around him. "Nothing." he answered.

"Murdock, let me see." he gently pried the blanket away from Murdock to reveal the teddy bear. A tear escaped Murdocks eye, and rolled down his cheek.

"Well, who do we have here?" Hannibal said, taking the bear, and holding it up, "Do you have a name?"

Murdock quietly replied, "His name is Snuggles. My mom gave him to me."

"Hi Snuggles." Hannibal replied and hugged the bear to his chest Murdock smiled, he should have known Hannibal would understand.

"I bet you miss her, huh?" Hannibal asked.

Murdock wiped at more tears. "Yeah. I do. Especially when I don’t feel good." he admitted. Hannibal placed the bear backside it’s owner, and pulled the blankets up around the pair. "Well, you got us, and we are going to get you all better fast."

"BA and Face make fun of me." Murdock said,with more tears escaping. Hannibal wiped them away with his hand. "Well, they don't mean to, they are just funning with you, we all love you." Hannibal explained. "Try not to cry, that will make the congestion worse."

Right then the door opened and Face and B.A came in carrying a bag of cold remedies. Both saw the bear, and were about to react when the look on Hannibal’s face stopped them. The Colonel retrieved the bag, and shook a bottle of cough syrup as he sat down beside Murdock.

"Okay son, open up."

Murdock eagerly drank a spoonful of the liquid, and laid back down. Hannibal next, opened Murdock’s pajama top and then opened a jar of Vicks, spreading the gel over the young mans chest and throat.

"This will help you breath." he told him.

By the time he had finished Murdock was asleep, still clutching the bear like a life line. Hannibal crawled in beside him, and Murdock turned on his side cuddling up beside the older man. Hannibal rested an arm around Murdock's back, and gently rubbed.

Face leaned over to observe the scene.

"Aww, Hannibal don’t you have the magic touch." he teased. "When is it my turn?" he asked suddenly stifling a sneeze.

"Maybe sooner than you think." Hannibal whispered back while smiling devilishly.

The End