As the Helicopter started falling, Mac clung to whatever he could and closed his eyes, knowing it was going to hurt. He was very aware of his already sore ribs. Victor's heavy elbow into his right side had been making itself felt from the get go. In the moment before impact, Mac hoped like hell that Jack and the pilot would be okay.
The next thing Mac was aware of was a jolt of pain and a burst of darkness that quickly swallowed him.
JACK...JACK...JACK... The name ran through MacGyver's head until consciousness hit him with the impact of a sledge hammer. Pain sucked the breath from Mac's lungs, but then Jack was calling his name, giving him something else to focus on.
The pilot, Cynthia, was trapped and Jack needed Mac to help him get her free. He could do this. He knew how to do this. Rolling to his knees, then up onto his feet, MacGyver forced his wobbly legs to obey his commands He did the same with his sluggish brain making it kick into clarity. Moments later, Cynthia was free.
However her leg was broken and Victor was gone, possibly with Jack's gun. They had no means to call for help, other than a wet Sat phone. So MacGyver focused on drying out the phone and stabilizing Cynthia's leg, along with making her a crutch. Applying his full attention to all those tasks helped him to ignore the stabbing pain in his ribs and the flares of pain throughout various other parts of his body. He pretty much felt like a giant bruise from head to toe.
After yelling at Jack about his missing gun, which really wasn't his fault, MacGyver took a moment to check on his friend. "You feeling okay, Jack? How's your head?" Between Victor's head butts and the crash, Mac knew the other man was hurting.
"Hurts like a bastard," Jack confessed. But I'm just happy to be alive to feel it." He turned his attention on Mac. "How are you doing? You had me worried there when you didn't want to wake up after the crash. You were just so damn still, and you're never just still."
"I'm good." Mac tried not to wince at the lie, but there was no point in admitting to his aches and pains. They were all hurting and there nothing to be done about it. Knowing they had to find Victor while avoiding his bad guy friends until the phone dried, and they could call for help, was enough of an adrenaline rush to keep MacGyver going strong. "We should get moving."
Jack started to nod, then thought better of it. He was dizzy enough without making it worse. "Sounds like a plan." He watched Mac move to help Cindy, who brushed him off because she was one tough chick, and then they were on their way, MacGyver guiding them as he followed Victor's blood trail.
So the trio trudged their way through the underbrush and foliage until the blood trail ran cold. That when Jack stepped up, showing off his AMOS skills and leading them on a downward path after Victor. Who they now knew, for sure, had Jack's gun.
MacGyver did what he could to help Cynthia maneuver down the sloping ground after Jack. He felt every jolting and sliding step setting off flares of pain throughout his body, and one step in particular left him panting for relief. He hid it by leaning Cynthia against a tree on the pretense that she needed to rest. Which, in truth, she did.
Cynthia was focused on MacGyver, however, and she leaned in to whisper, "You okay?"
"Peachy," Mac replied, forcing a reassuring grin. He bent to check on her leg and the splint was holding. Standing back up took his breath away, and he fought a wave of dizziness by leaning against the tree behind him.
"You don't look so good," Cynthia pointed out. "Should I call Jack?"
MacGyver waved at her, not wanting to shake his head and needing a moment to find his voice. "Don't call Jack. I'm okay, just sore. We're all hurting, but we have to keep moving. I'm good." He hoped she was convinced, because Mac really didn't need Jack fussing over him right now.
Cynthia nodded. "You're right, we need to keep going. We have to find Victor before his friends do." She was a soldier and she knew they had to put the mission first and worry about everything else later.
It was then that they all noticed the chopper flying over head. Rescue chopper. But they would never spot them with all the foliage covering them.
Handing over the Sat phone to Jack, MacGyver headed off to try and signal them. Only to run into Victor. At least now they knew where he was. MacGyver was gearing up to go after him when Jack appeared, letting him know that Cynthia wasn't doing so well.
Heading back to the pilot, Mac did the one thing they really didn't want to do. He started a fire. If he didn't get Cynthia warmed up, she wouldn't make it. So they took the risk, then MacGyver informed Jack he was going after Victor. They were too close to the bastard to just let him slip away.
Jack didn't like Mac going after the big guy alone, but he knew the kid was right. Someone had to stay with Cynthia in case Victor's buddies showed up, and Jack was the best choice to protect her. MacGyver was more than able to take care of himself, but it still worried Jack when he wasn't able to be there to watch the kid's back. So he was worried as he watched Mac take off, and Cynthia didn't help matters by insisting they come up with a plan in case MacGyver didn't come back.
"He's coming back," Jack insisted, shutting her down. MacGyver had to come back.
Going after Victor alone was a daunting task, and MacGyver knew he had to be smart about it. He was pretty sure the big guy had a broken right arm and a bad leg, which meant his dominant side was weakened. So all Mac had to do was get ahead of him and take out his left arm, leaving Victor defenseless.
Lucky for Mac, everything fell into place and his plan worked. He dropped Victor like a stone, got him bound back up again and dragged him back to their temporary camp. The bonus point was the adrenaline high MacGyver was now riding on. He was going to pay for all of his exertions later, not the least of which being rolling Victor around to get him tied up again and hauling the guy to his feet. MacGyver was going to feel it later and his body was going to punish him for it, but capturing Victor again was worth it. The guy need to rot in jail for the rest of his miserable life.
Everything seemed to be going their way again, until Mac realized he had shorted out the Sat phone battery when he used it to start the fire to warm Cynthia up. But Mother nature was watching out for them and MacGyver knew he could charge the Sat phone using the lighting storm heading back their way. Not surprisingly, Jack joined him on his mad trek into danger.
Maybe his adrenaline high was making MacGyver giddy, but he felt the need to say a few last words to Jack. Just in case. Typical of Jack, and himself, they couldn't straight out say what they felt for each other even though they always found a way to say it anyway.
Brotherly love for each other intact, they made it out of the storm and back to Cynthia and MacGyver was able to get their location through to Riley. Lucky for them she was ready and waiting for it and, moments later, help arrived and it was time to hand Victor off and head for home.
Cynthia rode in one chopper, equipped with a medic who could care for her leg. MacGyver and Jack were in another chopper and Mac was relieved to finally be able to rest for a moment. His adrenaline high had gotten another spike during the lightning storm adventure, but now he was feeling shaky from the overload.
Jack was high-fiving the pilot and the soldier riding shot-gun. "You wouldn't happen to have some Advil and water on you?" he asked, as his relief leveled out and the reality of his whopping headache settled back in.
The soldier, who was also a medic, eyed Jack with concern. "Can you list your symptoms for me, sir?"
"Probable concussion," Jack confessed, "But I've got a thick skull. Some Advil and I'll be fine."
"You're bleeding," the medic stated, pointing to Jack's left hand and the blood stained fabric wrapped around it.
Jack held it up. "Yeah, cut it on something when we crashed. Might need a few stitches. It can wait until we land."
The Medic offered him a bottle of water. "You should drink this but I'd like to hold off on the Advil until you see the doctor. We'll be on ground at a medical facility in forty minutes."
"Will do," Jack replied, but he offered the water to MacGyver. "You need this more than I do, bro. Drink up."
"I'm good until we land," MacGyver replied. He was feeling nauseous and he really didn't want to test his stomach while in the air.
The Medic handed another bottle to Jack. "You both need to drink and rehydrate." He then turned his full attention to MacGyver. "Can you list your injuries for me, sir?"
Idly, MacGyver thought it would take way too long to list them. But since there was nothing major to worry about he just waved the soldier off. "I'm good."
"Yes, sir," the Medic replied, although he didn't look convinced.
True to his word, however, they landed at the Medical facility forty minutes later. Mac and Jack waved Cynthia off as she was taken away for X-rays. Jack was then herded into an exam room for his own check up.
Which left Mac to be herded into his own exam room, even though he protested that it wasn't necessary. The Army doctor who was waiting for him, tuned out MacGyver's insistence that he was fine. Instead he took him firmly by the arm to lead him over to the exam table, but Mac's stubborn streak kicked in and he planted his feet and pulled back.
In the space of a heartbeat several things happened at once. MacGyver's left knee buckled, which put him off balanced and when he tried to catch himself it pulled on his ribs, which sent spikes of pain shooting through him stealing his breath. That led to a bout of dizziness and Mac heard the doctor calling for assistance, even as everything faded to gray and he fell into darkness.
Jack felt better once he had some advil in him, and the two bottles of water to rehydrate him helped as well. He was actually starting to feel hungry and he figured he'd collect MacGyver and round up some grub. He was grateful that it was his left hand that had the stitches in it and not his right. Nothing would stop him from wielding a fork.
Spying a nurse he flagged her down. "How's Cynthia doing? The pilot."
"She's been sedated so they can set her leg and cast it," the nurse replied. "She's on IV fluids and she should be ready to travel tonight."
"Great news," Jack enthused. "How about MacGyver? Lanky, blond kid.":
The nurse pointed down the hallway. "Last door on your right. The doctor is still with him." That said she continued on her way.
Jack frowned at her words, wondering why the doctor would still be with Mac. Suddenly filled with concern, Jack practically ran down the hallway, skidding into the room. He stopped dead at the sight of MacGyver lying on the exam bed. He was dressed in a hospital gown and had an IV in the back of his left hand. But what bothered Jack the most was that the kid was still and unconscious.
The doctor spotted Jack and joined him before he could speak. "MacGyver is going to be okay. The IV line is to hydrate him and to deliver a pain killer. He's going to be sore all over, but the main injury is bruised ribs. He has a hairline fracture on one but it's mostly deep bruising. Various muscle pulls and strains and a mild concussion."
"I knew it!" Jack hissed, startling the doctor with his vehemence. "Sorry...sorry. I knew the kid was hurt more than he let on. I couldn't wake him up after we crashed. But...he's going to be okay, yeah?"
"He will be. You're all going to be sore and he needs to rest and eat and keep hydrated." The doctor moved to MacGyver's side and checked his IV. "I'd like to keep him here until you head out tonight. He needs the rest."
Jack nodded. "Absolutely. Is it okay if I sit with him?"
The doctor smiled. "Of course. Can I have the nurse bring you something to eat?"
"Absolutely. I'll take whatever you've got." Jack's stomach was already rumbling as he pulled a chair over to the bed. He checked in with Riley and Bozer, ate a chicken sandwich and flirted with the nurse as MacGyver slept on.
When she brought some clothes to change in to, he followed her to the showers and being clean felt so good that he spent nearly half an hour just soaking up the hot water and singing his favorite Karaoke songs. After which he flirted some more with the nurse while she dried his stitches, rebandaged his hand and scolded him a bit. She did, however, relent enough to give him another dose of Advil.
After that, Jack took a few minutes to hang out with Cynthia who was on some good painkillers and made him laugh as she half dozed during their conversation. When she asked about MacGyver, Jack told her he was fine and he was on his way to check on him again.
Whistling softly, because the Advil hadn't fully kicked in yet, Jack entered Mac's room only to discover the bed was empty. He whirled around, heart stopping in his chest, and was ready to run out calling for help, only to see the kid standing in the doorway, smiling at him.
Jack exhaled as his heart started beating again and relief washed over him. "Where the hell were you? What are you doing out of bed?" When he was scared, Jack tended to yell.
"I was taking a shower," MacGyver replied, gesturing to his wet hair.
"Oh." Jack exhaled again, making himself calm down. He studied Mac and realized the kid was dressed in camouflage pants, no doubt scrounged up for him, just like Jack's new wardrobe, and an olive t-shirt a size too big for him. Jack could see bruising on his arms and he had no doubt the kid's ribs were colorful. "How are you feeling?"
MacGyver moved stiffly as he entered the room to retrieve his phone and his wallet. "I'm good. You doing okay? How's the head and your hand?"
Jack grimaced. "I'll live. Nothing major. Doc told me you've got a hairline fracture on your ribs."
"Painful but doable," Mac countered. "I'm fine, Jack."
"Doctor also told me he wanted to keep you in bed until we leave." That said, Jack started herding MacGyver towards said bed.
Side stepping, MacGyver circled back around towards the door. "I'm more interested in getting something to eat," he stated, knowing that it would distract Jack from the bed issue. Not that he was actually all that hungry, but MacGyver knew he needed to eat.
Jack, however, was on to MacGyver's tricks. "The nurse can bring you a nice chicken sandwich," he stated, as he blocked the kid's escape route. "You get back in that bed or I'll pick you up and put you in it," Jack threatened.
"You couldn't if you tried," MacGyver shot back. He knew Jack was hurting as much as he was.
"Try me." Jack stalked forward, crowding Mac against the bed without actually touching him. He didn't want to do any further damage to the kid.
MacGyver studied his friend and decided it was the better part of valor to climb back onto the better under his own steam. Although twisting his body so that he was sitting up against the pillows made him wince and hiss a bit as pain rippled through him. So he glared at Jack. "Happy now?"
Jack grimaced. "Mostly. You want me to get the doc?"
"No." Mac sighed. "I'm just sore, it's fine. How's Cynthia?"
"Loopy but doing good." Jack chuckled. "Man, we are a motley crew, aren't we?"
MacGyver smiled back. "Yeah, but mission accomplished. Bet you're looking forward to getting back to the Foundation and meeting up with the new boss."
Jack scowled at him. "Don't get me started." He shook a finger at MacGyver. "You stay put while I track down the nurse to bring you that sandwich. I could use another one myself." When MacGyver rolled his eyes at him, Jack headed out and found the nurse. He flirted for a bit and she promised to bring the food in shortly.
Strolling back into Mac's room, Jack said, "Food's on it's way and I bet I get her phone number before we leave." When he didn't get a response, Jack made his way over to the bed and grinned. The kid was sound asleep. Jack covered him with a blanket then made himself as comfortable as he could in the chair for a catnap of his own.
All in all it had been a good day. They were battered and bruised, but alive.
Best day ever.
THE END