August 06 --- Redirect

People think he's really crazy. He's not, really. He does have his problems, of course. Mainly because his shut-off valve gets loose now and then, and he needs something - or someone - to tighten it up again. Sometimes just being around the guys helps. Other times, it gets too far out of control and then Richter has to deal with it. But, as Face stated once (and only because he was loopy with pain killers), at least he was a happy maniac. But sometimes - okay, a lot of the time - he uses that label to his advantage. He has an exuberance that is just natural to him, and that label allows him to act on it.

But most of the time he uses it for his team. Because sometimes their shut-off valves get stuck and need loosening.

Hannibal - well, you'd think he'd be pretty easy. He likes to sit back and watch the pilot do his thing with the others, grinning all the way. Not so much himself. Instead he and Murdock will play off each other. They love that. Especially the way the others react when they get going.

So yeah, he's pretty easy, but even the great colonel has his days. Usually, when something's happened to one of the others - injury, illness, or capture (no matter how temporary). Even if one of them shows up at his door after losing their current 'home' for whatever reason. Those reminders, big and small, that the Jazz has a cost. Even if he doesn't react until after everything's settled, they all know. And that's when Murdock does his thing. He settles down near Hannibal (close enough so he can talk just a bit softer than usual, far enough so it seems all casual-like), and after a moment of relaxing, he'll start reminiscing about past adventures. Most good, some not so much, some just outright funny - but always adventures where they'd beaten the odds. Doesn't take long before Hannibal's adding to the stories, smiling, eventually laughing.

Works every time.

Now, BA is a whole 'nother story. It's really hard to notice when he's in a bad way. Pretty obvious why, I guess. But Murdock knows how to catch the little things. Not that Hannibal or Face don't, but Murdock is a little quicker. Oddly, that's what he does for BA. He keeps track of him for the other two, mood-wise, notices how he reacts to the 'crazy fool'. The more BA tries to ignore him, the more Murdock wants to know why, and if it's a problem. If things seem less than transitory, he gives Hannibal the signal. For once, he's discreet about it. Sometimes he goes through Face, but Hannibal's better at getting BA back on track. Murdock said at one point he thought of asking for hazard pay, but Hannibal reminded him they all got that anyway, so...

Then there's Face. He's the easiest for Murdock. And the hardest.

A lot of the time, Murdock and Face are almost like Murdock and Hannibal, gleefully playing off each other. The big difference is that Face is much more in sync with Murdock. Sometimes it's downright scary. Then there's times when Face is using Murdock in one of his scams. It can get a bit tense then. Face enjoys them, of course, but he takes them very seriously at the same time. This is his job. This is THE job. And unfortunately, sometimes Murdock's shut-off valve decides it's going to stick at the wrong time. Luckily for Face - or maybe for Murdock - it usually gets fixed with THE look from Face.

So Face is the easiest. But he's also the hardest. Again, knowing Face, you know what I mean. He's got so many people inside him, it's surprising he isn't bigger than BA. And if he doesn't want you to know what he's really feeling... well, you don't. Murdock can, though. Like I said - they're in sync. And that makes it really hard on Murdock when Face goes downhill. Unfortunately, Face does that more often than people think. Including Hannibal and BA.

The thing Murdock has learned, over the many years he's dealt with his best friend, is that persistence is the only real answer. He will push and push and put up with everything from being ignored to a verbal assault that would make John Wayne cry. But Murdock takes it and keeps pushing, just like he does with BA, getting goofier and crazier and grinning and laughing until Face has no choice but to respond in kind. And sometimes he'll actually talk to Murdock afterwards. Sometimes. But at least Murdock can pull him out of whatever funk he's going through.

So yeah, Murdock's got his problems, but between the team and Richter he gets along. And thanks to Murdock, so does the team.

That's what makes them more than just a team.