Disclaimer: I do not own the A-team, even if it would be pretty cool.

This is my first attempt at an A-team fanfic, so I hope you like it!!

Night often came early at the VA Hospital, as the lights were usually turned off by the nurses, whether the patients liked it or not. It was on one occasion such as this that Murdock climbed into bed, smiling at the way that Billy, his invisible dog, tried to clamber on with him. He patiently swatted the dog away, who turned to lie at the bottom of Murdock’s bed with a loud “harumpf” sound that all dogs seem to make when annoyed with you.

They went through this routine every night, and although Murdock hated to do this to Billy, it was technically against the rules of the VA to allow animals in the hospital in the first place. As he kept reminding Billy, they were lucky enough that he was allowed in Murdock’s room, and he didn’t want to risk getting his pal kicked out for leaving dog hairs all over his bed.

Billy had reluctantly assumed his post at the bottom of his human friend’s bed, and appeared to Murdock to be a faithful guard, protecting and comforting him through the nights when he couldn’t sleep for all the haunting memories of Vietnam.

Tonight was the same as all the others. Murdock fell asleep in the perfect silence of the hospital to the sight of his companion lying in his usual place, shifting his gaze from the door to Murdock every few moments.

Reality faded into dreams and Murdock once again found himself in that dark, dank cage in Vietnam, being mercilessly beaten as his guards demanded information that he would not give.

The cell was dark and hot in the Vietnamese summer, sapping the small remainder of Murdock’s strength and will power. The smell of blood from those who had died under questioning in this very cage tickled his nostrils and churned his stomach, while the echoes of their agony filled pleas for help haunted his ear drums.

He had seen several of his friends dragged in to be ‘questioned’ and had been forced to endure the agonised screams as they were beaten into death. Then, from his makeshift prison, he had seen the guards drag the limp and lifeless bodies of his former comrades to a pile in the middle of the courtyard, where ravens and crows feasted. The pile was left there as a brutal reminder to the survivors of the punishment for refusing to talk.

Now, he found himself facing the same fate. His tormentors had grown bored of beating him for information they would not gain, so now they beat him for the sheer pleasure of watching a loathed enemy suffer. This dream was exactly the same as the reality had been, right down to the pain of their fists and the metallic smell of fresh blood.

Soon his attackers would finish the torment for the day and drag him back out into the malevolent sun and lock him away with the rest of the survivors. However, this time was different.

One of the “interrogators” raised his gun, and Murdock vaguely realised through the pain induced fog that he was going to die. At any other time he would have been terrified, but now he welcomed death. His only regret was that he would not live to see if his fellow comrades escaped.

A loud barking interrupted his thoughts, and all heads turned to the source. As if from nowhere, a dog came pounding through the door and flung itself at the man holding the gun. In his surprise, the man pulled the trigger, and Murdock screamed as he felt the hot bullet pierce his skin and embed itself savagely in his shoulder.

The pain forced him to unconsciousness, and the last thing he saw was the soldier pushing the dog off him and pointing the gun at its head. A gunshot reverberated throughout the room and Murdock felt an overwhelming sense of loss before he blacked out completely.

That morning, when he awoke panting from the familiar nightmare, Billy was gone.