TITLE: All Tied Up

AUTHOR: Hannurdock

RATING: PG

WARNINGS: Sexual References, nothing explicit

STORY TYPE: Third Person / Episode Spin-off

CATEGORY: Drama

LENGTH: One-Off

DISCLAIMER: The characters are property of Cannell and company. I just write about them. I don't make bags out of them!

****

Hannibal tried to free his hands from the rope, without any success. Garber looked at him eagerly, at the rest of the team bound, with their hands tied behind their backs.

"Now, who shall we get to walk the plank first?" Garber looked at each of the A-Team, and then pointed a grubby finger towards Face.

"Why is it always me?" Face wondered as he was dragged before Garber, and a weight was attached by a rope to his feet. Face struggled, and was hit in the stomach, winding him momentarily.

"Bring his matey's up to the rail, so they can take notes on keeping themselves out of my business" Garber said, dragging Face to the plank. The others were brought forward, they watched as Face staggered on the plank and tried to maintain his balance.

"Don't like this, Hannibal!" BA warned, watching Face teeter for a second and then fall into the water.

Hannibal looked forlornly at Face, who bravely tried to keep afloat for a moment, and then disappeared under the water, the weight on his feet causing him to sink.

"BA, in D'Nang, remember when the VC threw Face underwater, he was unconscious?" Hannibal whispered.

BA growled angrily. "Yeah, sucker nearly drowned."

Hannibal nodded, seeing the bubbles lessening on the water's surface. "That's right. Remember that little surprise we had for them?"

BA grinned suddenly. "Just like Nam, Colonel".

Hannibal smiled, and suddenly himself and BA lashed out behind them, Murdock howled gleefully as Garber hit the floor with an almighty crash.

"Thanks for lending me the knife" Murdock commented, taking Garber's knife and cutting his bonds. He rushed to the railing, saw no bubbles on the surface now, and turned to Hannibal and BA who were still fighting Garber's men.

"Going under, Colonel" Murdock shouted, clutching the knife tightly. Hannibal acknowledged this, and Murdock dived under the water where Face had sank. The water was an eerie greenish colour, and Murdock felt himself going deeper and deeper. Then he saw Face, still rapidly sinking, a serene look on his face.

Murdock swam faster, trying to keep up, and managed to catch hold of Face's jacket. Pulling Face to him, Murdock reached down and cut the cord that held Face's feet to the weight, and began to rise slowly.

Murdock hit the fresh air and sucked it in greedily; he turned to look at Face with his eyes closed, still looking remarkably peaceful.

Murdock shook his friend "Facey, can you hear me?"

Face remained still. Hannibal and BA had disposed of Garbers men, and Hannibal looked over the rail. "Murdock, stop messing around and get up here!"

Murdock found the steps and hauled Face out of the water. BA grabbed Face up and pulled him aboard, going back to get Murdock out.

"Damn fool used up all his strength. Couldn't pull his body weight out the water" BA complained, pulling Murdock behind him.

Hannibal turned to Murdock. "You alright, Captain".

Murdock gave the thumbs up sign. "All here, sir. Don't know about Face though".

Hannibal dropped to a knee beside Face, and felt for a pulse. There was none.

"BA, he's not got a pulse or a heartbeat" Hannibal said, listening intently to Face's chest for a small sound, anything. There was none. "Emergency CPR, sergeant. You remember the drill".

BA's survival instincts kicked in, and he watched as Hannibal breathed into Face's mouth. Then he hit Face's chest five times.

"Lucky no one's watching this" Murdock commented. "Could get the wrong idea ..."

Hannibal ignored Murdock's comment, and continued with the repetitive task. Suddenly Face began to choke, and he spat out some of the water he had swallowed.

Hannibal smiled towards BA, and quickly put him in the recovery position. Hannibal lit a cigar. "Nothing like a little stress to keep the heart beating properly."

"Your crazy, Hannibal. Just like Murdock" BA complained.

Face opened his intelligent, blue eyes and they locked on to Hannibal's. "Hey, what's happening?"

Hannibal winked. "Nothing kid, everything's fine".

"Oh yeah, so if everything is fine why am I lying here in the recovery position?" Face asked worriedly.

"Because we thought you might want to try something a little different than missionary, Face" Hannibal laughed to BA.

The reference to sex was all Face needed to relax. He laughed too, and wished one of his many women were with him. "Hey Hannibal, your looking at a pro here. I know every position under the sun" Face said weakly.

Hannibal grinned. "I think what Face needs is a nice drink. BA, give him a hand to the van?"

Face tried to protest and BA lifted him over this shoulder, and carried him easily to the van. Hannibal laughed, and Murdock suddenly looked a little worried.

"What's wrong, Captain?" Hannibal asked.

"You know, Face could really have died here today" Murdock said.

Hannibal shook his head. "You kiddin'? What would Stephen J Cannell say if a writer killed a leading character? We've still got the Stockwell season to run before anything kills us off."

Murdock laughed and accepted this. "Yeah, real safe being in the secure hands of a successful TV show."

Hannibal shook his head, and decided it was best not to inform Murdock about the cancellation, and Face almost being killed in the final season.

"How about that drink, get Face warm again?" Hannibal said.

Murdock smiled, and Hannibal put an arm around his shoulders leading him over to the van where BA was waiting to drive.

THE END.