The Profoundest Mystery of the Universe: A Valentine's Day Tale

by Ridley C. James

Between Brothers AU. Twenty-five year old, Jack Dalton thinks he's getting the hang of things. Sure he's not handling civilian life as well as he hoped and being a CIA agent isn't just Aston Martins and Bond Girls, but he's making it work. Who knew that one little flu bug could have him questioning everything and bringing more upheaval into his and Mac's world.

The Profoundest Mystery of the Universe

By: Ridley C. James

A/N: Because it's Valentine's Day and I can't resist. I also spent the entire weekend cooped up with a sick child so, the muse roamed. Thanks to Mary for all her patience when I sent her this and she was expecting the next chapter of Those We Gather Close. She didn't even remind me how behind I am on that one! Thanks to all those who read and take the time to review. Wherever you are, I hope you feel loved- because you are. Unconditionally. Perfectly. Amazingly.

RcJ

"The workings of the human heart are the profoundest mystery of the universe." –Charles W. Chesnutt

Jack Dalton swore that his spring cleaning project this year would be to somehow organize, and by that he meant throw out, the things currently causing his attic to look like a small IED had detonated and left destruction and debris in its wake. Admittedly, in all his twenty-five years he'd never done any spring cleaning, but this year he vowed would be his first attempt. It may have been his frustration at the fact he'd been tearing through boxes for the last half hour and had not come up with the one item he desperately needed that had him in the odd state of domesticity, but he was determined to venture back to the task when his current crisis was averted.

"Maybe if you tell me what you're looking for, bud, I can help." Harry MacGyver was standing at the top of the stairs, looking unsure if he wanted to actually breach the inner sanctum as if other explosives might be hiding beneath the clutter, let alone wade into the mess Jack had made of things.

"A grey sweater," Jack replied distractedly, with a brief glance to his brother's grandfather. He wasn't sure if Harry was truly wanting to help in the frenzied quest or he merely hoped to halt the further destruction currently taking place.

"Maybe you could be a tad more specific." Harry took a few tentative steps closer to where Jack was on his knees leaned over a cedar chest.

Jack didn't look up or stop his digging as he felt the older man's presence by his side. "Mom's favorite sweater. The one that belonged to James but she claimed as hers and wore all the time."

"Okay." If Henry was thrown by the answer he didn't show it, which was no big surprise because MacGyver men, in general were hard to shake. Case in point, Harry did not seem one bit frazzled by the events of the last eight hours. In contrast, Jack was a basket case. "Should I remember that sweater?"

Jack held back on snapping that 'hell yes, Harry should remember' but instead he focused on a few dust motes dancing in the last rays of afternoon sunshine streaming in from the lone window. "It was long, wool, with big black buttons. The one that looked like a professor might have lounged around in his study while smoking a pipe and contemplating the world's problems."

Jack's mother, despite being an academic herself, had only donned it for rainy afternoon reading sessions or for a movie marathon with him and Mac. Lazy Saturday mornings might find her pairing it with pajamas, fuzzy socks and Birkenstocks as she stood over the stove making pancakes. The sleeves were always falling down over her hands and Jack remembered James would tease her that one day she was going to set it on fire. After she got sick, it became a permanent fashion staple. "It smelled like jasmine and vanilla."

"Then maybe we should bring Archimedes up here and let him sniff it out."

Jack frowned at Harry. He hadn't meant to say the last part out loud, old memories getting the best of him. "Just forget it. I'll find it myself."

Harry squatted near the head of the chest, and Jack's face warmed as he could feel the older man's concerned gaze on him. Surely he thought Jack had finally cracked under the pressure, maybe succumbed to the stress. He'd already pushed for Jack to go to a meeting run by one of his old war buddies at the VA, but Jack didn't have time to swap stories with a bunch of vets. "Are you talking about the one your brother drug around here for months after your mom died like the blanket that kid Linus from Peanuts went nowhere without? He'd pet it like a curled up cat when he was trying to go to sleep, wore a hole in the sleeve I think."

"That's it." Hope swelled in Jack's chest and he once more met Harry's gaze. If Jack closed his eyes he could see a five year old Angus MacGyver dragging the gray garment by the sleeve as he made his way through the home that had suddenly became achingly unfamiliar, a foreign landscape that he, nor the rest of his family, seemed to know how to navigate. "Mac wouldn't part with it. We had to slip it in his backpack when he went to school. His kindergarten teacher let him cover up with it at nap time."

"I remember." Harry scratched at his beard. "I also recall it took you and James almost a year to convince him he could be without it. It was about the only thing you two seemed to agree on during those months that followed your mother's passing."

Actually Jack and James had passionately disagreed about the subject. James had wanted to be rid of the sweater immediately, to store it away just like every other memory of his wife. He'd had most of her clothes donated to Good Will and her beloved books stored in the attic before Jack had even emerged from his grief induced stupor to offer any resistance. He might not have been lucid enough to prevent James from practically scourging their home of his mother's existence, but he'd argued that Mac found comfort in the sweater and there was no need to tear away anymore security when the five year old had already lost his foundation.

"Do you remember where you or James might have put it?" Jack asked instead of contradicting Harry's belief about his and James sharing a joint mission to relieve Mac of the sweater. He looked around the numerous boxes in the attic, feeling more than a little overwhelmed, but trying not to sound as desperate as he felt. Jack's CIA team had just completed a rescue mission, extracting a dignitary and his family from a secret location in a hostile region in Zimbabwe with less confusion. His current search was more daunting.

"I have no idea, bud." Harry shook his head, a frown marring his brow as he studied Jack. "Why is it so important you have it right now? There's not enough on your plate without adding finding a needle in a haystack to it?"

"I wanted it for Mac." Jack hadn't found much that could bring comfort to his brother over the last two days. He'd been called to Mac's school on Wednesday by the school nurse, alerting Jack that his brother had a fever and needed to be picked up. Apparently he was the third one to be sent home that morning. The fifth graders were dropping like flies as the flu insidiously made its way through the classes. He gave Harry a sheepish shrug, feeling completely out of his element. "I thought it might make him feel better."

"While that's a nice idea, son, your brother hasn't asked for that sweater in years. I know he's been out of his head with this fever, but the only people I've heard him wanting was you and his daddy."

The 'his daddy' drove a sharp blade of pain through Jack's chest. He sure as hell couldn't conjure James MacGyver and having his baby brother call for him during fever-induced nightmares was pretty close to torture and Jack had gone a few rounds through the real deal, not just the metaphorical kind. He'd hoped the sweater might be a close second to providing Mac's father, and just maybe there might have been a small part of him that hoped it would give him some sense of her presence. He felt over his head on the parenting front since Mac had gotten sick and could use her guidance even if it was only in the form of something she used to wear.

"What are we going to do if we can't get his fever to go down?" He decided to ask the burning question that had kept him up to the wee hours of the morning instead of trying to explain his lame rationale. Jack didn't need any help with insomnia, his transition back to living outside a war zone as not as easy as he hoped. He seemed to live in a state of hyper awareness most of the time, and Mac being sick had only magnified that to a level he was jumping at shadows.

Harry looked hesitant to speak and Jack knew what was coming. "I think it's time we make an ER run," He quickly held up a hand when Jack opened his mouth to object. "Now I know Angus hates the place." Harry didn't add that Jack also despised it but the twenty-five year old caught the flash of knowing in his gaze. "It doesn't hold particularly fond memories for any of us. But your brother's not been able to keep any liquids down since last night. His fever keeps rebounding to the 104 mark. Dehydration is a real fear now, Jack and that cough of his is getting worse. I understand you promised him it would be a last resort, but we've done everything his pediatrician, Beth and Mrs. Colton have suggested and he's not any better."

It was true. Jack had followed Mac's doctor's orders to the letter, and even reached out to the two women he trusted for all things child related when nothing seemed to be working. Mama Colton had even come by the day before with her homemade chicken soup and cough elixir that Jack was pretty sure a mixture of the woman's 90 proof moonshine and molasses. He'd alternated Tylenol and Motrin, used cold compresses, run a humidifier to ease his brother's congestion, even tried essential oils his grandmother touted. Mac was not taking in enough liquids. His fever was going down only to rebound higher. He was lethargic and irritable, two states that were nowhere near normal for the kid who was typically in a constant state of motion and easy going as they came. Mac was one sick little boy and it scared the hell out of Jack.

"Kids go into the hospital all the time, bud." Harry seemed to read his mind and the fact his fears and insecurities were so obviously transparent had him letting a few curse words fly as he raked both hands through his hair.

Since Christmas, Jack had started to feel like he was finally getting the hang of the parenting gig. Sure, he was probably dealing with a bit of PTSD, but it wasn't like he couldn't function. On top of handling his past, Jack was now a government spy who secretly travelled the world when everyone close to him believed he was highly trained security for select government officials based out of LA, but he'd started to find a rhythm through it all that worked in the two months since he'd left the Army. Jack spent part of his time in LA, in the house Harry had kept after moving to Mission City to help out his son. He had insisted Jack stay there instead of renting a tiny apartment space while working in the city. That way Mac could visit when he wasn't in school and Jack could travel back to their home on his down time. It wasn't the perfect arrangement by any means, but then again, Jack was never going to be the typical, normal guy who worked his days at a garage and made it home for dinner every night and it was a far cry from the occasional Skype chat between dangerous missions in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"You get that, right?" Harry continued to study Jack. "Your brother has the flu, not a terminal illness."

"Of course I get that, Harry," Jack snapped, knowing his overly sensitive response was probably more telling than his adamant dismissal of Harry's gentle reminder. He had to admit the fact that he'd expected the flu to pass like a common cold had thrown him a bit. Mac had been as sick as Jack had ever seen him and there were times that it had brought back memories of their mother after one of her treatments and the helplessness he felt then to help her. Jack was built to protect those he loved and he was painfully learning that there were some things-like a sinister flu bug- that he couldn't shield his brother from. "I just know he's going to be upset." Jack blew out a long breath, feeling like he was being forced to admit defeat. "He hated the hospital in Texas where he went when he broke his arm over Christmas. He hadn't even been to that place, but we both know he's spent more than his fair share of time in the one here."

"I'd say we could drive to Orange County but we both know that's ridiculous and it might be that Angus won't even remember Mission Memorial. He was five. It's been years since he's been there."

"Trust me," Jack sighed, raking a hand through his hair again. He knew his brother better than anyone. Mac had a memory like a computer. He could recant exact details from his favorite bedtime story from when he was three to memories of family vacations they'd taken before their mother had fallen ill. Something as traumatic as the months they'd spent at Mission Community Memorial Hospital where their mom had died would not have been deleted. "He'll remember."

RcJ

Harry had gone so far as to wager a bet which Jack knew was meant to distract and lessen his own anxiety about the visit. If Mac dug his heels in and played the rare temper tantrum card then he'd make dinner for a week. If not, Jack would use some of the hard earned pay he was now garnering to supply take out of Harry's choice over the next few days. Jack had never wanted to spring for a few meals more than he did as Harry pulled his old jeep up to the ER and his brother roused from his pile of blankets enough to realize where they were.

"What's going on?" Mac asked, his voice sounding a bit like he'd swallowed crushed glass. He blinked, rubbing his red eyes as he stared owlishly at Jack. The hint of bewilderment was quickly replaced by one of accusation as the ten year old sluggishly put together the pieces before either of adult could explain. "Why are we at Mom's hospital?"

"Mac, bud, we're going in to have you checked out, okay." Jack shifted the kid in his arms, noting the hint of tears that suddenly blurred the bright blue of his brother's eyes. Tufts of blond hair stuck up in unnatural angles, and Mac's flushed cheeks stood out in stark contrast with his pale skin as one salty drop escaped dark lashes to trail over a smattering of barely there freckles.

"But you promised." Mac's lower lip trembled and Jack was pretty sure he might have capitulated right then and there if Harry hadn't turned off the jeep and hopped out. There was also the fact he'd run every worst case scenario through his head, imagined incidences like Mac's flu taking a vicious turn to pneumonia or somehow mutating into some other horrible virus that could take his life.

Jack knew better than to make promises, especially when there was even the slightest possibility he might not be able to keep them. But when the person you loved most in the world was throwing their little guts up and burning with a fever that seemed to be stemming from an unseen inferno being stoked somewhere inside their small body a guy was apt to offer just about anything to make them feel better. Jack might have as easily vowed to create a time machine and go back to collect Mac's hero Albert Einstein for his very own one on one interview of the genius scientist if the kid had so much as hinted to wanting such a thing.

"I shouldn't have done that." Jack would almost have preferred some sort of tantrum, maybe an angry rebuttal or a declaration of hatred from the miserable looking kid in front of him. Instead, Mac only dropped his chin to his chest, more tears streaming silently over his red cheeks. His slim shoulders were shaking but Jack wasn't sure if that was from crying or the relentless shivering that had been plaguing the kid the last few hours.

"Come on, little brother." Jack gathered the boy and blankets including the old Go Army sweatshirt of his that he'd given the kid in lieu of their mother's sweater. Mac had latched onto it and not let it go since. He noted the worry in Harry's gaze as he held the door open, waiting for Jack to hoist the kid higher on his hip before stepping around them to climb back in the jeep. The closest parking lot was full for a Thursday night in February which meant Harry would have to park at the overflow lot and did not give Jack confidence in their waiting time.

"Hang in there, buddy." Jack said soothingly as he stepped across the threshold of the sliding doors, noting the heat from Mac's arms where the kid had wound them tightly around his neck, practically choking him in his fierceness.

The nurse at the check-in window was a pretty little thing, all blond and soft-looking. She was wearing a bubble gum pink sweater with a name tag that read Tricia and she gave Jack a mega-watt smile that told him she'd either just come on for the night shift, or she'd downed a bunch of caffeine on her last break.

"Can I help you?"

"My brother tested positive for the flu a couple of days ago," Jack told her. "I can't get his fever below 102 or get him to keep any fluids down. We need to see a doctor."

"Are his parents parking the car?" The perky receptionist gave a sympathetic glance to the lump underneath the Dallas Cowboys throw, a mop of blond hair the only thing visible as Mac had his face pressed against Jack's neck. When she returned her focus to Jack lines marred her brow and her defined brows drew together. "I'm sorry but I can't register him in our system without a parent present."

"I'm his custodial parent. Jack Dalton. He's Angus MacGyver. His pediatrician, Dr. Ford, was supposed to send his records over. I talked to her before she left her office this evening." Jack frowned, readjusting the heavy bundle in his arms.

"Let me check on that, Mr. Dalton." A few key strokes later, Jack was heading to a row of cushy chairs with a clipboard and pen. He glanced at the entranceway when the door opened with a whoosh, grateful to see Harry saunter in. The older man looked over the crowd of people, spotting them in the only relatively empty corner Jack could locate.

"You want me to take him while you do that?" Harry gestured to the clip board which Jack was attempting to balance on his knee while writing one-handed, before reaching for Mac. The fact Mac's grip tightened at the mere suggestion and he let out some cross between a whimper and a painful sounding cough, had Jack handing off the paper work with a tired sigh.

"Tricia said we just needed to fill out the highlighted sections. Dr. Ford sent everything else over." Jack shifted so he could reach his wallet, handing it to Harry. "They need my license and his insurance card. I have the new one they gave me at work." Who knew the CIA had kick-ass benefits. "I just wasn't expecting to have to use it this soon."

Harry gave a wry grin. "James was in the ER at least once a month. I wouldn't get comfortable."

"Great." Jack rolled his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with a grimace. "At least I'll meet my deductible really quickly."

Harry had a distinct tone of amusement. "There's always a bright side, bud."

Jack was having a hard time finding one even before Tricia sashayed over bringing a paper for Jack to sign and a plastic bracelet with Mac's name and patient number on it.

"He'll need to put this on him before we call you back," the woman explained, kindly. "That way if he's admitted for the night we'll already have him ready to be assigned a room in pediatrics."

"I have to stay?" Mac croaked painfully. He let go of Jack's neck, his head lifting from the older man's chest, eyes panicked. "You're leaving me here?"

"No, kiddo. I mean, you might have to stay," Jack backtracked not wanting to repeat his earlier mistake, but quickly added. "I'll be with you the whole time. Nothing or no one's going to make me leave."

"It's true." Tricia bent down on one knee so she was on Mac's level. "Your brother can even share the bed with you, although I bet his feet might dangle off the end seeing as he's practically a giant."

"I'll make the sacrifice if need be." Jack smiled at the receptionist. "Wouldn't be the worst place I've slept, trust me."

"Jack was in the Army." Mac spoke up hoarsely, garnering a surprised glance from Harry who looked up from his paper work to give Jack a knowing grin. Mac was learning quickly that he already had a sway over the ladies and seemed to enjoy the attention. "He once found a tarantula in his bedroll."

"Then I think Jack might just believe he's staying at the Hilton." Tricia assured, holding up the bracelet so Mac could see it was harmless. "We don't even have tiny spiders here, just your average flu bugs."

Mac's mouth tipped up at the corny joke, but he held his arm out even as he let his head came to rest on Jack's shoulder once more with a croupy cough.

"There we go," Tricia proclaimed once the plastic band was secure. "I even put a heart on there for you because tomorrow is Valentine's Day, but I made sure there was also a red robot seeing as how I bet you take after your brother and are the manly sort." She winked at Mac.

"I'm missing my party." Mac said softly, shooting another accusing glance in Jack's direction under half-lidded eyes as Tricia flicked an amused gaze Jack's way.

"Here we go." Jack held back on the heavy sigh. They'd already been round and round the reasons why Mac could not go to school even if he and his best buddy Bozer had worked an entire week on constructing the most perfect Valentine box. It held a distinct likeness to Archimedes and actually opened its mouth on voice command to accept the valentine. Jack was pretty sure Mac held him responsible for the slight, as if Jack's unwelcome comment a few weeks back that he found the whole holiday lame had somehow caused the poor timing of his brother's illness.

"Jack won't let me go because he doesn't believe in love." Mac fidgeted with the bracelet, tracing a finger over the robot sticker.

"Sure, blame my dislike of hearts and flowers, kiddo. Never mind the fact you have a fever of 104, have been barfing for the last two days, and can barely hold your head up, dude." Jack shot Tricia a 'what's a guy going to do' look. "My brother seems to forget I went to three different Targets to find him the valentines he just had to have, including the individual packets of asteroid rock candy to go along with them. Do you know how hard it is to find Invader Zim cards? Only my genius brother seems to appreciate the craftiness of the wonky space invader."

"Zim is a master at improvising." Mac declared vehemently, which prompted a coughing fit which left the little boy winded, his fist curled in Jack's shirt as he once more dropped his head to his brother's shoulder. Jack ran a soothing hand over his back, murmuring reassurances he didn't quite feel against the little boy's hair.

"Sorry." Tricia said, giving a sympathetic wince at how bad Mac sounded. "I'm sure we'll be bringing him back anytime now." She stood, nodding to Mac. "He's absolutely adorable by the way."

"Thanks." Jack nodded. Under different circumstances he might entertain the idea of finding some inspiration to revisit his beliefs about the lovey-dovey holiday by asking the pretty, kid-friendly, Tricia for her phone number but as it was he just wanted Mac better.

"I'll take those if you're done." Tricia reached for the clipboard Harry had finished with, casting another quick glance over her shoulder to Mac and Jack as she walked away.

"For someone who hates hearts and flowers you sure do seem to garner your share of love-struck admirers, bud." Harry had conveniently picked up a magazine and started thumbing through it. "Cupid surely has you in his sights."

Jack rolled his eyes, relieved for a multitude of reasons when a woman stepped through a set of wooden doors and called his brother's name. Romance was surprisingly only a fleeting thought these days. As Harry had pointed out earlier, his plate was full, spilling over the sides in fact. He glanced down at Mac, noting the kid had once more curled against him in a cocoon of blankets, the Go Army shirt wrapped tightly in one fist. As far as Jack was concerned Cupid could go love himself.

RcJ

Once in the room, Mac reluctantly let Jack place him on the exam table, as long as Jack stayed glued to his side. The doctor came fairly quickly for the amount of patients Jack assumed were waiting in the plethora of rooms, harried and brusque. It was instantly obvious why family practice hadn't been Dr. Murray's specialty. He quickly and efficiently doused Mac's hopes of going home by a swift admittance to the pediatric ward and ratcheted Jack's fears by ordering blood gasses and an IV with drugs to lower his patient's worrisome temperature.

"We're going to take care of your son's dehydration and see how the fever goes. I don't like the sound of his lungs, so I'm going to order a round of antibiotics as well." Dr. Murray was speaking to Jack, or at least Jack thought he was, but the beleaguered physician continued to look at his nurse, the one who'd spoken softly and sweetly to Mac, the one who met Jack's gaze and gave his shoulder a pat after taking Mac's temperature. He didn't bother to correct the doctor's assumption Mac was Jack's son, even if one close look at the chart would have revealed their relation along with Mac's name which Dr. Bad Bedside Manner didn't bother with either.

Jack had his hands too full of a distraught ten year old to take it personally. He'd coaxed the kid into the hospital gown that was dotted with Disney movie characters Mac hadn't even liked when he was a toddler. The thin material hung off Jack's little brother, making him look even more vulnerable. The sight of Mac shivering on the exam table picking at the bracelet Tricia had put on him earlier had a lump springing to Jack's throat, his eyes burning. He forced his own emotions in check and tugged his old sweatshirt over Mac's head, grinning as his brother's eyes met his a hint of gratefulness breaking through the misery as Jack joked he couldn't have any brother of his seen wearing Mickey and Donald. Mac had refused the gurney ride even when Nurse Keller and his co-worker Nurse Phil had made promises that they'd take the curves of the hallway like racecar drivers at Daytona and would even let Jack help with the steering.

It took a little convincing but they let Jack take Mac up on the elevator instead while Harry went home. He'd take Archimedes to the Bozer's, grab some things for him and Mac-pajamas of his own namely-and return later. Jack had said they both didn't need to stay, but he could admit after having to help hold his brother down for IV that ended up going in Mac's foot Jack wouldn't turn down the company, or the chance maybe to get some fresh air.

Even after Mac drifted off, Jack found it impossible to leave even if everything inside him demanded he escape that weird mix of medicine and cleaner smell. The lights, the sound of the machines-all of it conjured images he'd long ago locked away in a safe room within his mind with hopes never to set them free. Only now that guarded door was jiggling, threatening to fly open as Jack watched the rise and fall of his brother's chest. The kid looked so incredibly small, his fingers barely visible where the sleeves of Jack's sweatshirt had swallowed his hands. Thoughts of their mother and the sweater had him moving to the side of the bed, gently turning the cuffs up, letting them rest around Mac's wrists.

"I knew you boys looked familiar." A nurse spoke from the doorway, causing Jack to turn his attention from worrying with his brother's blanket.

He smiled at the dark skinned woman with the riotous curls. A few strands were died a deep purple, a couple vibrant blue. Her scrubs sported a bright array of dogs and kittens. Jack recognized the smile, the dimples that dented each side of her cheeks. She'd been in the ICU ward when his mother had spent her last weeks there.

"Ms. Merle." He inclined his head, turning so that he was leaned against his brother's bed.

"Now please drop the Ms. I'm Kim, and not all that older than you, Jack. I was fresh out of nursing school when your sweet mom was here. She was one of my first patients." Kim made her way into the room pulling Jack into a crushing hug. He felt his eyes burn, exhaustion and concern wearing at his hard fought defenses. Jack blinked rapidly when the nurse released him, keeping a grip on his shoulder as she offered another encouraging smile. "Emma is still my most memorable as she's the one who told me I should go back to school for an advanced degree and switch to pediatrics."

"My mom was good at recognizing a person's potential." Jack could remember his mother taking her high school students under her wing, but she didn't need a classroom to latch onto a young person and try to encourage them. He cleared his throat. "I remember you used to take Mac to the play room and brought him puzzles when she was too sick to entertain him. You even made those balloon puppets out of plastic gloves."

"I still use that trick. I've even learned how to make animals." Kim laughed. She gestured to her sleeping patient. "You act as if any of that was hard work. Look at that face. He's just as angelic as he was back then, although I'm thinking I'd have to wrestle him into a rocking chair these days."

"A few days ago I'd tell you that it was hard to get him to sit still long enough to eat his dinner let alone cuddle up for a snuggle session, but right now I'm pretty sure he'd be an easy target." A weary smile played at the corner of Jack's mouth.

"This flu is a nasty strain." Kim replied, glancing to one of the machines. "We're nearly at capacity on this floor."

"I had hoped he wouldn't have to stay." Jack couldn't keep his gaze from the wires attached to his baby brother, the lit pulse oximeter on his finger, the IV delivering fluids and medicine. "He's never been this sick."

Jack rubbed a hand over his face, feeling the rough stubble. He couldn't remember if he showered the day before and probably looked like he'd just come off a night patrol in the sandbox. Jack was thankful Kim didn't look at him when his voice broke. She had conveniently busied herself checking Mac's vitals.

"You did the right thing. I'm willing to bet that Angus will feel much better in the morning."

"It's Mac now." Jack shrugged when her brown eyes found his and she lifted a brow. "Apparently he's old enough to pick his own name."

"Look at that." Kim clucked, shaking her head. "Miss Emma's boys all grown up."

Jack laughed. "One of us anyway."

"I'm pretty sure she'd be incredibly proud of both of you." Kim returned her gaze to the hospital bed, raising the rails. "I noted that you have custody of Mac. There was a note not to give any information to his father or allow visitation."

"Yeah." Jack kept his voice low even though his brother was completely out. He rubbed at his bloodshot eyes. "I was advised to do that for the school and my lawyer suggested I have one put in his medical file. It's not…"

"I'm sure you have your reasons." Kim said firmly, sparing Jack the spiel about James MacGyver. His contact with Mac at Christmas had prompted Jack to put some parameters in place, legal barriers that would help keep Mac safe, but it didn't stop the slight wave of guilt he encountered every time he worried that James might take the kid. It wasn't like he thought James would hurt his son, only that he might run with him. The Nurse gave him a nod. "I was just going to assure you we had the proper papers in our file. Mac will be safe on our watch."

"Thank you." Jack shook his head, rubbing a finger over his brow. "It's not like James is even in the arear, or that I plan on going anywhere while the kid's here."

"So I guess suggesting you go to the cafeteria and have some dinner would be me wasting my breath." Kim gave him a crooked smile.

"I promised him I wouldn't leave if he went to sleep." It was one vow Jack didn't intend to break. Jack moved to his brother's side, resting one of his hands on top of Mac's head. "He's not fond of hospitals. Neither of us are. No offense."

"None taken." Kim squeezed his arm as she passed on her way to the door. "I'll make sure they send two trays in at dinner and maybe a spare pillow and blanket." She gestured to the recliner. "Those things are an improvement over the ones a few years back and you look like you might need some shut eye yourself. I'm sure I don't have to tell you about the number one rule in caregiving."

"I think some rookie nurse might have given me a pamphlet titled Put Your Oxygen Mask On First a few years back." Jack remembered the nights he'd spent by his mother's bed, trying to stay caught up with his college classes and help James with Mac. He was pretty sure his mother had coerced the help of nurses like Kim to encourage him to go to take breaks, to actually go to school and utilize some self care. He offered her a grin. "I appreciate the sound medical advice but I may just catch up on some television. I'm really behind on America's Next Top Model."

Kim rolled her eyes at his antics, but made good on her promise of the extra food and a pillow. Jack on the other hand hadn't had as much resolve. He'd passed out before the nightly news had ended.

RcJ

The sound of his name jerked him out of the deepest sleep he'd managed in days. It took a moment for him to realize where he was. Mac's hospital room was dark except for the glow from the television and the light above his bed. Jack turned to the window where the skyline view from the sixth floor offered no clues to as to how much time had passed, but if the crick in his neck and the stiffness in his back was any indication it had been hours. Contrary to what Kim had said the recliner was not comfortable.

Jack's cleaned tray had been taken away, as had Mac's untouched one. In their place on the rollaway cart was his and Mac's overnight bags, and a few books. Mac's current favorites The Hobbit was right on top along with a couple of muscle car magazines that Jack hadn't read. Harry had apparently been there and gone. When Jack pushed the foot of the recliner down, sitting up straight, his mother's sweater fell from where it had been tucked around his shoulders. He gazed at the soft gray material wondering for a moment if he was still asleep and maybe dreaming. Mac's hoarse voice snapped him from his thoughts, drawing his gaze from the unexpected item to his brother's face.

Mac was looking at him. Jack could detect the deep frown of confusion across the room. He quickly made it to his feet, crossing to his brother's bed where he let down the rail to take a seat on the mattress near Mac's hip.

"Hey, bud." Jack placed a hand on the little boy's head, thankful for the relative coolness that greeted him. Mac's face was still far warmer than it should have been but nothing like before. "How you feeling?"

"Jack." Mac said again, tears filling his eyes as he looked around the unfamiliar room, blinking. Jack could practically see the fear take hold, shimmering in the blue, like a lion pacing behind a glass partition waiting to pounce.

Slaying monsters of the Mac variety was Jack's field of expertise. He quickly wrapped his brother's warm hand in his. "It's okay. I'm here, kiddo."

"Where's daddy?" Mac's breath hitched as he lifted his other hand, staring blearily at the bracelet on his wrist, the lighted oximeter on his finger.

Jack ducked his head, gathering his calm. "Your dad's not here, little brother. We're at the hospital. Remember?"

"Mom's hospital?" The fear in Mac's quavering voice was undeniable.

"Yes." Jack figured any attempts at reframing would be lost on his brother. He squeezed Mac's hand reassuringly. "It's the same hospital she stayed in but we're in the kid's wing. It's far away from the ICU."

"I was dreaming about daddy." Mac blinked, his pale blue, red-rimmed eyes still a bit unfocused. "He was reading me a story."

Jack had to fight back the irrational fear that James had somehow made his way into the room, just as Harry apparently had and the nurses who'd come to clear their dinner away. The fact he hadn't even stirred spoke to his complete exhaustion. Mac's favorite book lying open on the table by the kid's bed only had his paranoia increasing. He comforted himself with the fact that even in his state of sleep deprivation Jack believed he would have sensed his brother was in danger. Besides, it wasn't the first time since getting sick that Mac had thought his father was with him.

"I'm sorry. It's just you and me." Jack ran his fingers through Mac's unkempt hair.

"Is that mom's sweater?" Mac's voice caught with surprise as he reached for the article of clothing in question. Jack hadn't realized he still had his fingers wrapped around it. He brought it up on the bed where the ten year old quickly reached out to stroke the well-worn material.

"Yeah, bud, it is."

"Where did it come from?" He met Jack's gaze once more, the hint of hopefulness in his glassy eyes breaking Jack's heart a little. "Maybe dad brought it."

"No, Mac. Harry must have found it. He probably brought it when he dropped off our overnight bags." Jack didn't want to go into how he'd been tearing the attic apart hoping to find the piece of clothing to make his brother feel better. The fact Jack had an overwhelming desire to crush the soft garment to his face was probably telling of where his desire to track it down had initially stemmed. That Harry had recognized which brother truly needed the comfort and had somehow managed to deliver had Jack's throat tightening, his vision going all swimmy for a brief moment before he could blink it all back in check.

Mac pulled the sweater close to his nose, doing the exact thing Jack had been tempted to do. He breathed in the scent, the frown lines on his forehead deepening. "It doesn't smell like her anymore."

"She's been gone a while, bud." Jack ran a hand over one of the black buttons, hoping to hide his disappointment.

"I miss her," Mac echoed Jack's sentiment, his lip trembling. He held it between his teeth for a moment as if he could stop the flood of emotion that raced across his face. Jack imagined being so sick and have his defenses obliterated by a flu strain was putting his typically stoic little brother through the mill. "But not as much as I miss daddy."

Mac looked totally wrecked at his confession, his eyes filling once more. Jack's heart ached on a couple of accounts, but mostly for the hurting little boy looking up at him as if he'd just admitted to some unholy crime.

"Scoot over." Jack carefully nudged the ten year over in the bed, watching the IV line so his feet didn't bump it when he lay down beside him. He rolled to his back, propping a pillow behind him. Mac wriggled until he was nestled against him, his head resting on Jack's shoulder. Once his brother was settled Jack pulled their mother's sweater up over them both. "There's nothing wrong with missing your dad. You're sick and every boy wants his daddy when he's sick."

"And his big brother." Mac added softly, coughing slightly.

"Probably. If he has one."

"But sometimes I get confused by how I feel." Mac twisted his fingers in the folds of the wool, running his thumb absently over the fabric. He was quiet for a moment and Jack stayed silent, waiting for the thoughtful ten year old to mull over whatever was running through his ginormous brain. "Mom didn't want to leave us," Mac said finally. "But she had to, no matter how much she wanted to stay. Daddy didn't have to leave me, but he wanted to and he's stays gone even though I want him to come back. I shouldn't miss him at all."

"The heart doesn't work that way." Jack took a deep breath, gazing down at the kid's face. He could see just the side, but knew his kid brother was frowning. Mac had been so young when their mom died. He had adored her but he hadn't had the opportunity to know her on the level that Jack had. There was also the complicating circumstances where James changed so drastically after his wife's death. In a way, Mac had lost two parents at once even if James hadn't physically left until years later. He hugged his brother a little closer. "It's a really complicated thing, kiddo, even for a smart guy like you."

"Nana Beth once told me that the heart was the most profound mystery in the universe." Mac lifted his head, his wide blue eyes finding Jack's gaze. A bit of the old Mac was clearly shining through. "But I told her that was probably String Theory and reminded her that a heart is actually very simple. It's basically a pump with four chambers two of which act like springs that quickly delivers blood to our body."

"Along with delivering wounds to our soul." Jack couldn't help his wry grin.

"What?" Mac's eyebrows drew together and Jack shook his head with a small chuckle. "You'll get it when you're older."

Mac lay back down and Jack absently ran his fingers through the kid's hair. "You know I heard your heart beat long before you even came into this world."

"Really?"

"Really." Jack grinned to himself, the memory bittersweet like any having to do with his parents. "Believe it or not I wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospects of having a sibling come along and bust up the good gig I had going on. Only child status was pretty sweet back then, or at least it seemed."

"You wanted a dog." Mac piped up, having been reminded by Jack on occasion of his very vocal teenage protests when their mom and James shared the good news. "Or a motorcycle. Even a hamster would have been better."

"It was a guinea pig actually, but yeah you get the point," Jack continued on, remembering the slight look of bafflement on his mother's face when Jack had pointed out that any of those things would have been a lot cheaper and made him much happier than her having a baby. "So Mom drug me along to one of her doctor's appointments about half way through the whole ordeal, in fact it was sometime in February. James was away on some business trip and I figured she didn't want to go alone. It took some work on her part, let me tell you. There might have been a bribe involving a bag of cheeseburgers and a chocolate shake."

Jack stilled his fingers on his brother's hair, glancing down to make sure the kid hadn't fallen back asleep when Mac didn't take the opportunity to make a smart remark about Jack's conditioned food response. His little brother's eyes were at half-mast, his thumb rhythmically running over the sleeve of their mother's sweater so Jack resumed carding his fingers through his brother's hair and continued with the story, the years magically falling away.

RcJ

"That is so gross." Jack Dalton watched as an ultra sound technician spread thick goo on his mom. In all his fifteen years he had never once been tempted to turn down a chance to play hookie from school, especially on a day when he had tests in Honors English and AP Geometry, but he was seriously regretting his choice to take his mother up on her offer to let him do just that to spend the day with her.

It was bad enough to be the only guy holding a bag of juicy cheeseburgers and a large fry in the waiting room with a whole pack of starving pregnant women, but when he'd been forced to venture into the same examination room with his hospital gown clad mother, Jack had nearly turned tell and run. The fact said mother and her bare abdomen were now laid out on a table for his display like some giant thanksgiving turkey being basted made a torturous day of school look like Heaven.

"The gel is a conductive medium, Jack." His mom laughed at her son's breathy declaration, her blue eyes twinkling with what Jack could only describe as amusement at his discomfort. He searched his mind for some crime he might have committed and tried to cover up over the last few weeks to deserve this sneaky punishment. "It enables a tight bond between the skin and the conducer."

"The wand-thingy?" Jack waved a hand of fries towards the white instrument the technician was currently holding over his mother's grossly big and overly exposed belly before cramming them in his mouth and chewing. The sight was seriously almost enough to kill Jack's appetite. Almost.

His mother and the doctor shared a knowing glance and matching grins before his mother once more caught his gaze. "The white thingy is a probe and it emits sound waves to the tissues beneath the skin that need to be imaged. The super gross gel acts as a coupling agent and reduces static."

"So it's like an antenna?" Jack rolled his eyes at his mother's high school science teacher spiel before grabbing his chocolate shake from the floor where he'd set it by the stool he was sitting on. He took a long sip from the straw, studying his mother's face. She didn't look like she was worried or that she was in any kind of pain but he felt the need to clarify. "Does it hurt?"

"Not at all, kiddo." His mom laughed, but her eyes had gone all soft and Jack was pretty sure she might have reached out and ruffled his hair if he'd been any closer, only adding to his mortification at being present during this procedure. "In fact it kind of tickles."

"If you say so." Jack shrugged, going back to his fries now that he knew his mom was good. He was totally beginning to understand why James had conveniently scheduled a trip at the same time of this appointment. The man was so going to owe Jack for stepping in to take one for the team.

"Are you excited to see your new sibling?" The technician asked as she continued to work the conducer.

Jack moved his eyes to the screen on the wall, giving another shrug. From what Sarah had told him about her cousin's ultra sound Jack's 'sibling' would look a bit like an inkblot. "I'm just here for the food."

"My son was hoping for a puppy." Jack's mother's voice held a mix of humor and vexation. "He's here only because I bribed him with that bag of burgers he's rudely been devouring and the promise of a day free from school."

"I bet he might just change his mind once he sees this." The woman with the magic wand used her other hand to gesture to the screen. "There's the baby's head, hands, and if you look right here you'll see the heart."

Just as Jack's girlfriend Sarah had predicted Jack didn't recognize anything the doctor was proudly proclaiming to have found, but the quick flicker he could now see on the center of the screen caught his attention and had him straining forward. It was like a small flash of light, the quick beat of a butterfly wing.

"Wow." He couldn't stop himself as he stood and crossed over to his mom's side, the image drawing him like a beacon.

"Wow is right." His mom sighed. "I could watch that all day."

"Is it supposed to be moving that fast?" Jack asked. "It's like Morse Code."

"Babies hearts beet from 120 to 180 beats per second, that's more than double what an adults does." The technician answered Jack's question.

For the first time since his mother had breathlessly revealed her pregnancy news, Jack thought about the life growing inside her-the word 'baby' took on a new meaning. His mother was carrying an actual person around inside of her.

"I still remember the first time I saw your heartbeat." Jack ducked his head, as his mom caught his hand in hers. When he chanced a glance she was grinning from ear to ear and there were a hint of tears in her light blue eyes, just as he expected. "Your daddy cried like a big baby."

Jack swallowed hard and returned his gaze to the screen, a grin tugging at his mouth. "I bet mine was faster than this kid's."

The technician laughed. "Sibling rivalry already?"

"Wait until you use the Doppler." Jack's mother said knowingly, giving Jack's hand another squeeze.

Jack didn't even have a chance to ask what a Doppler was before a soft whooshing filled the room, like water rushing through pipes. It was followed by the sound of what Jack could only describe as that of a galloping horse.

"No way," he breathed, goose flesh raising along both his arms. He could hear the heartbeat.

"Yes way." Jack's mom laughed. "Say hello to your little brother or sister."

"I'd go with the first instead of the latter." The technician's words had both mother and son's gazes locking on her as if she had sucked all the air from the room with one simple proclamation.

"A boy?" Jack's mom's voice trembled and Jack looked from her shining face to the screen where the technician was once more pointing.

"Most definitely a boy."

Jack could find no definitive evidence that the little blob on the screen shared similar reproductive equipment with him and all the other males of the world, but he'd take the professional's word for it. He was going to have a brother and for the first time that sounded so much cooler than a dog or a motorcycle.

RcJ

"My heartbeat really sounded like I was a thoroughbred thundering around the tracks at the Kentucky Derby?" Mac asked, his head lifted so that he could see Jack's face.

Jack reached up and pushed stubborn bangs away from the little boy's face, giving a grin. "Yep. JP would have easily picked you as the one to walk away with the roses and the hefty purse."

For a brief second Mac's face lit with pleasure at the prospect of being chosen as a winner by their equine-expert grandfather if even in a metaphorical sense, but with a blink the little boy's face grew sad and Jack brought his hand back to the kid's forehead to check if his fever had returned.

"You okay there, bud?"

"I listened to her heartbeat, you know." Mac bit his lip, his eyes brightening once more. "When we were laying on her bed that night, you and me. I had my head on her chest, and I listened… it got softer and softer and then it just stopped."

Jack's mouth went dry, iron bands seeming to tighten across his chest as Mac's words transported him back in time to a moment completely opposite to the one he'd just revisited. Maybe it was their current setting, the fact he and Mac were once more sharing a hospital bed, but Jack could all too easily recall the instant of which Mac was speaking. His mother had looked so peaceful, so resolved as she'd taken Jack's hand and tugged him closer. She hadn't spoken but Jack had understood the request. He'd lowered the rail and laid down beside her much like he had with Mac moments before. His gangly twenty year old body barely fit, although their mom had wasted away to practically nothing by that time. Mac was already wedged against her, sleeping or so Jack had thought. He'd encircled them both with his arms, watching as a small smile curved his mom's chapped lips and her blue eyes closed for the last time. Jack wasn't sure how long they'd stayed that way, how long he'd held onto her, Mac wedged between them, but he vividly recalled her last breath, the way it brushed across his face, and the way his heart had felt like it was the one that had stopped beating when he'd realized she was gone.

It took a moment for him to garner any words, aware that Mac was still watching him-waiting. Jack swallowed hard, holding his brother's gaze. "That's where you're wrong, bud. As long as me and you still have hearts that beat, a part of hers is still going."

Mac didn't' speak, curling up beside Jack once more, his head resting over Jack's chest this time. Jack tugged their mom's sweater tighter around them. As he closed his eyes he imagined he caught the faint scent of jasmine and vanilla just before sleep claimed him once more.

RcJ

The next morning dawned bright. Not only had Jack awoken refreshed and feeling better than he had in days, Kim's prediction that a night of IV fluids and medicine making a miraculous difference in Mac's condition proved true. The kid's fever was almost back to normal, and Mac had actually requested breakfast-heart shaped pancakes specifically-having been told by Harry that they had them in the cafeteria.

Dr. Ford, Mac's pediatrician had made early rounds, wisely suggesting that perhaps her optimistic patient maybe try out some Sprite and Jello first. If that went well, they'd revisit the request later in the day. The order didn't go over smoothly and Jack having already spoken with the doctor saw his opportunity for a breather during the battle of wills. A medical degree was really no match for Jack's little brother when he was in rare form.

Jack had cleverly left Harry to the task of refereeing as he took Kim up on her offer of using the residents' shower and locker accommodations, which she promised boasted more space and a bit more privacy than the tiny bathroom in Mac's room. Jack took the opportunity to call Mac's school, update his grandparents relating that if things continued as they had Mac should be released the next day and there was no need for them to catch a plane out of Austin, which Beth had threatened the previous night when Mac had been admitted. Jack had even swung by the gift shop and visited the front desk where Tricia gave him not only a few sheets of clean copier paper and a red marker he'd requested, but her phone number on a post it note shaped like a heart to boot. Things were definitely looking up.

He returned to his brother's room to find the patient dressed in his own pajamas, sitting up in bed surrounded by a myriad of various inflated plastic gloves.

"I see Nurse Kim wasn't exaggerating her mad balloon animal skills." Jack picked up one that distinctly resembled a rooster, offering his brother a raised brow. "But what? No giraffe? Giraffes are my favorite."

Mac only glared in return, the red wobbly Jell-O and can of Sprite on the tray in front of him an obvious sign he had not been victorious in the throw down with Dr. Ford.

"Your brother's going on a hunger strike until he gets his heart shaped pancakes." Harry informed Jack from the recliner, where he'd kicked back and was reading a copy of the LA Times.

"That's too bad." Jack sighed, lifting the bag he'd brought in with him up onto the bed. "I guess I'll just return this huge box of candy to the gift shop or maybe eat it all by myself.

"What kind of candy?" Mac perked up a little.

"The profoundly surprising kind." Jack lifted the huge box of chocolates with the grinning dinosaur on the front. "It's no coincidence that it's shaped like a heart. Every bite is a mystery, wrapped in an enigma."

Mac rolled his eyes at Jack's reference to their earlier conversation about the complex workings of a heart. "It has a key inside that tells you what's in each spot. You don't have to take bites of everything to know what they are."

Jack snorted. "But where's the fun in that."

Harry grunted from behind his paper. "Sometimes I forget who is ten."

Jack ignored him. "Speaking of key's, I think you might like the valentine I made for you."

"You made me a valentine?" Mac looked genuinely interested now, and more than a little surprised. He pushed the rolling tray away and crawled towards Jack, expertly maneuvering the IV line and managing the other wires like a pro. Jack was amazed at children's ability to adapt. "But you think Valentine's Day is lame."

"Yeah, but I hate that you had to miss your party. I know you and Bozer were looking forward to showing off your very cool box." Jack suspected his brother had also been anticipating a day when his peers were encouraged to be friendly and kind to all. Jack hadn't even minded meticulously going down the list of names in Mac's class as he addressed envelope after envelope, knowing his brother would also receive a card from everyone in class. It was a rare treat when the ten year old wasn't cast as the odd man out.

"I dropped your box and your valentines off at Wilt's house by the way." Harry looked at Mac over the paper. "He promised to take them to school, along with the special card for that cute Penny Parker."

"What card for Penny Parker?" Mac's voice was still hoarse and it cracked as it seemed to climb a few decibels in obvious alarm. His cheeks which had returned to their healthy normal color pinked to a height they'd not managed even when his fever had been at its highest." "I didn't sent Penny a special card-I gave her a Zim one just like everyone else in the class."

Harry put the paper down, frowning at his grandson as if he hadn't been in on the plan all along. "But Jack said the big one with all the glitter was for her. Along with that cute little stuffed kitten."

"I told you not to buy that stupid card, Jack." Mac narrowed his gaze at his brother. "And a kitten? Now she's going to think I like her and she might even try to hold my hand on the playground or even worse try to kiss me."

"You're welcome, little brother." Jack ruffled Mac's hair, feigning ignorance that he'd gone against his brother's wishes and only bolstered Penny Parker's infatuation. He might be playing the role of a parent most of the time these days, but he still had to get in his big brother moments when he could. Being an older sibling held certain responsibilities and rituals that Jack couldn't abandon. "Now do you want my valentine or not?"

Jack offered the handmade card to his pouting brother.

Mac took it although he looked uncertain as to whether he might open it or rip it to shreds. He finally unfolded the paper, studying the hand drawn heart before meeting Jack's gaze once more.

"It's just a bunch of letters."

"Is it?" Jack arched a brow. He folded his arms over his chest. "Maybe I should have Dr. Ford scan your big head when she takes you down for that chest x-ray she wanted, make sure none of your brain cells melted when you were feverish."

"Is it a substitution cypher?" Mac didn't balk at the mention of the trip to radiology later in the morning and his face lit in a way that had most of Jack's worry lifting. The kid truly looked like himself for the first time in days.

"Only one way to find out." Jack bobbed his eyebrows.

Mac's grin widened at the prospect of a challenge. "Find the keyword that breaks the code and see if the message makes sense."

"Spoken like my favorite nerd." Jack reached out and run his hand over his little brother's hair once more.

Mac was so absorbed in his task he didn't even complain or shy away. "Thanks, Jack."

Jack glanced up to find Harry staring at him. "What?"

"A cypher text huh?" Harry hefted himself higher in the recliner when Jack made his way over and hitched his hip on the window ceil facing the older man. The sun was warm and soft on Jack's shoulders, almost like a comforting hand resting on his neck.

"In cryptography it's a method of encrypting which units of plain text are replaced by ciphertext," Jack said as he cast another quick glance to his brother before meeting Harry's amused gaze once more. "It's simple if you can discern the key word that makes the code work."

"I know what it is, bud. I was in the Navy. On a sub." Harry scratched his chin, narrowing his gaze suspiciously. "I'm just surprised you know how to write one."

"I'll have you know I've been cracking these sorts of messages since my genius kid brother started sending them to me when I went away to basic. By the time I was in Delta I used to have to have to enlist our code breakers to work on them, but I can manage to create my own if it's not too complex thank you very much." Jack frowned at Harry, folding his arms over his chest. "You don't know everything about me, old man."

"I know enough to guess the key word." Harry mimicked Jack's move, lowering his voice so Mac wouldn't overhear. "My money's on the key word being 'Angus'."

Jack rolled his eyes at the man's correct guess. Apparently Jack and his Nana Beth were wrong about the profound mysteries of the heart. It was as Mac predicted-all very simple. At least when it came to the love Jack Dalton felt for his brother. Or maybe Harry was just one perceptive old coot.

"Well, let's hope Mac's super brain is still a little sluggish from all the congestion and he isn't as in the know as his granddad because I'm counting on that to keep him busy for a while considering his doctor wants us to stay over one more night to see if his blood gasses improve." Jack raked a hand through his hair, knowing he should be grateful at the improvements Mac had made. "A sick Mac is bad enough, but throw in bored and I'm not sure I can handle it."

"I can always stay if you need me to."

"You've done enough, Harry." Jack gestured to the gray sweater that was piled at the top of Mac's bed. "Thanks for that by the way. It helped us through a rough patch last night. It was almost like having Mom here."

"I remembered James had asked to store some things at my house in LA. It didn't take me long to find it once I got there."

"That means I owe you even more. I'll be springing for those meals the next few days even if I did win the bet." Jack couldn't believe Harry had driven to Los Angeles and back. He nodded to the overnight bags and the books. "Thanks for the clothes too, and the books will go a ways in keeping the boredom at bay."

"You're welcome for the clothes, but I didn't bring the books or the magazines." Harry said. Jack must have gone pale, the words draining the blood from his face as sure as they had spent a spike of fear through his chest because Harry's face creased in a worried frown.

"You didn't bring the books?" Jack's mind recalled his brother's claim that James had been in the room, reading to him.

"No, bud." Harry shook his head again. "Maybe Kim brought them in or one of the other nurses."

Jack's eyes went back to the novels, the ones with well-worn spines and weathered covers, so much like those that used to line his mother's beloved bookshelf of classics. He moved his gaze to Mac, his heart picking up a pace that might have matched the cadence of his baby brother's the first time Jack had heard it that day at his mother's doctor appointment.

"You alright, bud?"

"I'm fine." Jack nodded, attempting to shake himself free of the impossible notion that James MacGyver had made yet another mysterious appearance. He offered Harry a grin he hoped was believable. "I just realized I haven't eaten anything since yesterday and I think there may be some heart shape pancakes calling my name."

"Are you sure it's not a sweet blond named Tricia that you have an appetite for?"

"You got me again, Harry." Jack stood, pulling another sheepish smile. Letting his brother's grandfather think Jack's libido had gotten the best of him was better than the old guy thinking his step grandson was completely paranoid, that Jack had finally cracked. No, Harry didn't need to know that the only woman Jack was interested in talking to at the moment was his boss, Matilda Weber. If anyone could get him a glimpse of the hospital's security footage from last night, it would be her. He cast a quick glance to his brother, finding Mac leaned over the valentine with all the intense focus Jack had seen EODs in Afghanistan use when diffusing a bomb. It was likely the kid wouldn't even notice Jack slipping out.

"You're not exactly a man of mystery, son." Harry smirked, picking up his paper and giving it a snap to open it back to the page he'd been reading.

"If you only knew, Harry." Jack said quietly, starting for the door. Turned out that the love he had for Mac and the devotion he held for keeping the kid safe was quite possibly the only simple and straightforward things in Jack's life. "If you only knew."

The End…For now.

PS. This is also a shout out to all those nurses who give tirelessly to their patients. Seriously, the ones assigned to my mother during her final days were always quick with a smile, a kind word, and even a hug. Also, big prayers to all who have been sick with the flu, or who've tirelessly tended to loved ones afflicted by it. Hang in there.