The moment the Chinese soldiers escorted them into their cells, Riley in one down the hall and Jack and MacGyver in another, Jack slumped against the wall. They had saved Los Angeles from the missile attack, and he knew Thornton would take care of their release. Sure they would miss Christmas, but at least they had a home to return to. Rubbing a hand over his face, Jack winced and looked at his palm. He had a scorch mark across it.

"Let me look at that," MacGyver offered.

"Nah, I'm good," Jack replied. Sure it had stung like hell, holding the live wire needed to power the make shift satellite Mac had made, but it had been worth it. He had helped to save the day.

MacGyver stared at him a moment. "Glad to hear that," he said, before pulling back his right arm and slugging Jack hard across the jaw.

Jack stumbled against the wall, one hand lifting to cradle his jaw as he glared at MacGyver. "What the hell was that for?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mac hissed, fury blazing in his pale blue eyes. "You could have died, Jack! Do you hear me?" He repeated it to make sure his friend did. "You could have DIED!"

"But I didn't die, it just stung a bit," Jack countered, suddenly getting what this was all about. He couldn't deny, however, that the kid had one hell of a right hook. His jaw hurt more than his hand did.

MacGyver started pacing, one hand combing through his hair, a nervous tic he couldn't seem to shake. "You don't get it, Jack. That current surging through your body could have stopped your heart. You got damn lucky." MacGyver was almost vibrating with anger and the remnants of shock now that his adrenaline rush had faded. He actually felt a bit sick and shaky as the memory of Jack holding that live wire danced in his head.

Taking the two steps to MacGyver's side, Jack made the kid sit on the cot in the corner before dropping down beside him. He could feel the tremors that racked the slim form. "I'm right here and it's all good, bud. No worries. I'm a tough old bird."

"I know that." Mac buried his head in his hands, willing himself to calm down. It was one for Jack to deal with bullets flying and explosions and the normal dangers of their jobs. But almost electrocuting himself was not acceptable.

"It had to be done, bro," Jack stated, because he totally knew the thoughts running through MacGyver's head. "One life in exchange for thousands and thousands is totally acceptable."

Mac raised his head to glare at his friend. "If you had given me another five seconds I would have come up with a different way. A safer way."

Jack drew MacGyver into a one-armed hug, ignoring him when the kid tried to shove him away. He wasn't really trying all that hard. "There wasn't time, Mac. You know that. You should be proud, I did a YOU and found a solution on the spot."

"You're a big damn hero, Jack! Happy?" MacGyver snapped, pulling away from his friend and standing up to pace again. He had too much nervous energy and anxiety that refused to bleed away, to just sit there. Jack was a hero, that so wasn't the issue here, but MacGyver couldn't remember ever being so terrified he was going to lose Jack as he had been in that moment. What bothered him the most was that he couldn't even explain why.

"It wasn't my day to die," Jack countered, keeping his voice calm and quiet. He understand why Mac was so upset and he was willing to work it through with him. MacGyver like problem solving, and that's what this was. A problem they could deal with. "That's as good as it gets in this business, bro. You know that." Jack said his piece then waited, patiently, for Mac to puzzle it out to the obvious conclusion.

MacGyver paced for a moment, from corner to corner, working various scenarios out in his head only to come to the same conclusion that Jack had intended him to. He dropped back down on the cot. "I'm sorry I punched you," he mumbled.

Jack shrugged, rubbing a hand over his still aching jaw. "You remembered to put your whole body weight behind it, so I'm pretty damn proud of you. I'm also glad you don't weight two-hundred pounds." He was pleased when Mac snorted and he felt the slender body relax. "I'm taking you out for post Christmas drinks and dinner when we get home. We saved LA so we have to celebrate."

"I'm buying," Mac countered. He offered a crooked grin. "It's least I can do." He wasn't totally sorry about punching Jack, but he would do his best to make up for it, at least a little bit.

"Works for me." Jack was all for a free dinner and drinks. Reaching out, he ruffled Mac's hair, chuckling when the kid slapped his hand away. "Merry Christmas, Mac."

MacGyver nudged him with his shoulder. "You too, Jack."

Shifting back on the cot so he could rest against the wall, Jack pondered, "Do you think they'll feed us while we're in here? I'm hungry."

The sound of MacGyver's laughter was music to his ears.

THE END.