The Easter Bunny
Author : Nightcrawler
Fandom: The A-Team
Rating: G
Summary: Murdock awaits the Easter Bunny
Archive: Yes
Murdock sat on the old wooden step leading out the rear of the old
hunting cabin the A-Team was currently calling home. The fog was just
starting to settle across the meadow, covering up the daffodils.
Murdock watched the bright bits of color slowly disappear and likened it
to Mother Nature's version of a cozy warm blanket. As he watched the
fog descend, he felt a wave of lethargy wash over him. He felt depressed
and had no energy to fight it. He was tired, just plain tired. Tired
of everything, tired of everyone. Tired of BA busting his dreams every
chance he got. Tired of the big man ragging on him all the time. Their
latest feud concerned Murdock's belief in the Easter Bunny. Why should
BA care whether or not Murdock believed in the Easter Bunny? What if he
did? He wasn't hurting anyone, was he? Why was it that anything that
seemed to make H.M. Murdock happy caused BA Baracus to show some serious
attitude. Murdock sighed and tried to still the pain he felt inside
but it just continued to grow.
Maybe if it was just BA, maybe he could endure that, but it wasn't.
There was the Colonel, and those private conversations with Face;
Murdock knew they were talking about him. He knew sometimes he made the
Colonel very nervous. Today had been one of those days. The meadow
behind the cabin was huge and a perfect spot for a canine obstacle
course. He had sat in the sun and envisioned a pack of Dachshunds
running the course, Billy in the lead of course. He had gotten so
excited, it had all seemed so real. He found himself standing, cheering
a long-haired hound with a determined snout, Herr Wilhelm, shouting his
name, urging him on to victory. The Colonel had appeared concerned and
not at all amused. When Face showed up, the Colonel leaned on him
hard. Murdock saw all that but let on nothing. Then Face came over and
told him the races were over. Murdock tried to protest but Face was
adamant. So Murdock sat back down in the grass and closed his eyes. He
envisioned the race and played his game anyway. When he opened his eyes
and looked up grinning, happy Old Wilhelm had come through, Face was
frowning furiously and yapping at him just as hard. Murdock turned
away, swallowing the pain, determined not to lose the beauty of the
day.
Tomorrow was Easter. The Easter Bunny would come. He would find him
no matter where he was. He always did. Face would go to Church
Services in the morning. He always did, said it was his Easter duty.
Then in the afternoon they would have an Easter Egg hunt. The momentary
elation that he felt soon left him. Deep inside his depression, Murdock
knew The Easter Bunny wouldn't come; BA had threatened to shoot any
bunny that came within six feet of the cabin. Face would come back
depressed, like he always did after going to church, must be the guilt
for all his sins. He wouldn't be in any mood to want to help with an
Easter Egg hunt and neither would the Colonel. Not after the looks he
had been giving him today.
Murdock felt the chill air settle around him and zipped up his leather
jacket. It was time to go inside. Once inside, he lit a lantern and
put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Automatically he went to the
cooler and opened up the carton of eggs and proceeded to hard boil all
twelve. The others had gone down the mountain to eat in town. Murdock
was not in the mood for their company and they didn't look too eager to
be with him either. When he explained he wasn't hungry and preferred to
stay home, they all looked at each other knowingly and left him alone.
No one had even tried to talk him into coming. Not even Face. Murdock
sighed again wearily, unwilling to admit how much that hurt. As the
emotionally spent, mentally fragile pilot gently spooned out a hard
boiled egg, he cursed himself viciously. Bad enough he drove the staff
crazy in the VA hospital, now he was driving his friends crazy. He
looked down at the egg and remembered then it was Easter. He shouldn't
be doing that, cursing like that. He didn't usually curse. Maybe he
should take his meds again. Today seemed like one of those days when
you needed to take your meds two or three times for them to work proper.
Then again, if he took them again now, he might not wake up in time to
see the Easter Bunny in the morning. He couldn't let anything interfere
with that. Half an hour later and the bowl on the table was filled with
a dozen hard boiled, madly decorated Easter Eggs. Somehow, he found the
energy to finish the clean up, then, exhausted, he walked over to the
bed in the corner. Last night he had slept with Face in the loft, but
he'd be damned if he'd share a bed with him tonight. He didn't dare
take BA's bed, but he rolled up the blanket and laid down on the floor
in front of the fire. He watched the flames for a few minutes and then
fell fast asleep.
"So Lieutenant, how did you know he wouldn't come to dinner with is? He
hasn't eaten anything all day!" the colonel asked.
"Yeah," BA piped up, "And how did you know he'd be turning that meadow
into a dog track?"
Face just smiled and polished his fingernails against the front of his
shirt, declining to reveal the source of his wisdom.
"Man I still can't believe I let you talk me into this!" BA complained.
"BA, BA, every man has his price, you're no different." Face drawled
knowingly.
The burly Black man jerked his head around and with a glare asked
menacingly, "Are you saying BA Baracus can be bought?"
"No! No, no, no, certainly not," Faceman soothed as he thought
gleefully to himself, not unless they just happen to have a box of
miniature transponders along with the latest edition of Car and Driver
magazine, not to mention a gallon of fresh milk.
"Best not be, " BA concluded, "or you won't have no Easter Bunny
tomorrow morning."
The colonel joined in then, "It was a wonderful plan, Face. Even
Murdock would never suspect the sergeant of dressing up like the Easter
Bunny. He'll have to believe it."
"I know, Colonel. That's the beauty of it. I can't wait to see the
expression on his face."
The next morning, Murdock awoke slowly. He was cold. Then he saw why;
Face had hogged all the blankets again. He wondered how he had ended up
in bed again with Face. He listened to his friend's gentle snoring and
knew for sure it was Face. In a way, the familiarity was comforting.
The he sighed in resignation. It didn't make any difference. Face
didn't care, not really. He didn't really believe in the Easter Bunny
anymore than BA did. They all just thought he was crazy, just like the
doctors back at the VA. Maybe they were right. Maybe there was no
Easter Bunny. Maybe he was just a crazy pilot come back from Viet Nam
with his brains scrambled.
Dawn was starting to break and the room was just beginning to fill with
light. He was in BA's bunk, that meant trouble for sure. Suddenly,
Murdock heard a familiar sound, like the back door of the cabin opening
and closing. Immediately, he knew. He knew it was the Easter Bunny.
By some miracle, he had found him. He leaped from the bed and raced for
the door. Once outside the room he ran towards the back door and jerked
it open. On the wooden step where he had sat last night and felt so sad
was a giant Easter basket filled with chocolate Bunnies, jelly beans and
even a coloring book and crayons. A shriek of pure joy escaped his lips
as he fell to his knees as tears of joy ran down his face. He wasn't
crazy, he wasn't crazy after all. He looked up, and in the far distance
he could see the giant Bunny disappearing into the fog.
A moment later, he was surrounded by Face and the colonel. "Be quiet"
Face warned, "You don't want to wake up BA." A fearful Murdock took the
warning to heart and whispered elatedly to the colonel and Face.
"SEE? I told you there's an Easter Bunny!"" he cried victoriously. The
colonel and Face looked at each other knowingly as they stood over their
friend. A moment later BA appeared out of the fog saying, Where's my
gun? I just went to use the latrine and man, I saw me the biggest damn
rabbit, we could have stew for a week!"
"No, BA! No. Please, let him go. It's the Easter Bunny. You saw
the Easter Bunny!"
"Easter Bunny? Easter Bunny! There ain't no such thing! I must be
seeing things."
The colonel patted BA on the back in a consoling way and advised him to
get some rest. BA nodded, trying hard to hide the sly grin that kept
sneaking onto his face.
Later that day, the colonel supervised an Easter egg hunt with BA and
Face trying hard to keep up with Murdock as he scurried about. The two
men finally gave up, collapsed in the grass and watched the elated
captain's frenzied egg collecting. They knew they could never do him
justice. In a few minutes, Murdock staggered over to them with dozens
and dozens of Easter Eggs. His face glowed with happiness, his dark
brown eyes sparkled with joy.
"Look!" he exclaimed to his friends.
Each man, in turn, looked. Each felt touched by Murdock's innocence,
warmed by his happiness and proud of their contribution towards it.
BA got up and hugged Murdock enthusiastically. Then he turned towards
the others and growled, "Yeah, man. Who said the Easter Bunny is just
for kids?"
Face lit the colonel's cigar as both men grinned and nodded their
agreement.
Murdock looked at BA with wonder. Slowly he walked in a circle around
the big man. "You realize, big guy that this means there's hope for
you yet. If you believe in the Easter Bunny, it's only a small step to
you believe in Santa Claus and reindeer that fly, and snowmen that dance
and sing."
BA began growling.
"Now don't do that, don't growl. You know you want to believe."
"Believe this sucker, if you don't shut up, I will make you shut up."
"Boys, " the colonel interjected.
Both man backed down. The Colonel looked at Face as he took a long draw
on his cigar, "You know what I always say, Face."
Face grinned wide and nodded as the colonel continued, "I love it when a
plan comes together."
back...