Fever + Protection
When infected by an unknown substance during a mission, Jack spirals into delirium while Mac has to do his best to bring him back to himself.
Prompt: Fever/ delirium
Tags: fever, delirium, hurt/comfort, feverish Jack, worried Mac
"How high is the fever?" Mac asked, arms crossed tightly over his chest and fingers curled tightly in the sleeves of his plaid shirt. His whole body was tense and blue eyes steely as he stared into the isolation unit, only a sheet of glass separating them.
"High," Matty said sounding just as tense as Mac felt.
"Have they figured out what he was injected with?" Mac asked, eyes never leaving the sight of Jack inside the isolation ward. Jack was in a standard hospital gown, clinging to his IV pole as he shuffled around the bed, muttering to himself under his breath.
"They have some ideas and are going to start treatment soon, they need him to calm down otherwise they will have to restrain him to the bed, which could make everything worse." Matty sighed exhausted. She had been in meeting after meeting to figure out what Jack was dosed with, but Mac had been a stone statue in front of that window, watching over Jack.
"They are sure I can't go in?" Mac stepped closer to the glass, fingers twitching on his sleeve as Jack's muttering became louder and his eyes wilder.
"It's may be contagious, they don't want two patients." Matty knew that it was taking everything Mac had not to burst in and comfort Jack, to help him.
"I have to help him Matty," Mac said, desperation lacing his tone.
"I know blondie, but right now he's delirious and they don't know how he would react to seeing someone he knows." Matty glanced at her phone for an ETA update on when the treatment would be ready.
"Can I at least talk to him? Can he see me?" Mac asked, desperation full blown now as he looked down at Matty.
"…That should be fine." Matty caved and pushed a button on the box next to the sealed doors.
The reaction was instant as Jack's head snapped up and locked eyes with Mac, clutching his IV pole tighter.
"Hey Jack, how are you holding up?" Mac gave him a small smile and stepped up to the glass.
"Mac, Mac, you're okay, you're okay." Jack gasped out, stumbling over to the observation window.
"I'm okay Jack I promise, you're the one who is hurt this time." Mac chuckled weakly when Jack scoffed in disbelief.
"Nah hoss, I protect you, I stop you from getting hurt." Jack shook his head as he spoke.
"You did protect me Jack, that's why I'm out here and you're in there." Mac said soothingly and his lips quirked when Jack's whole body seemed to relax.
"I protected you. I protected Mac," Jack repeated and Mac made a wounded sound in the back of his throat unable to stop himself from placing his hand on the glass, fingers splayed wide.
"Yeah Jack, you protected me like you always do." Mac was choking up and eyes stinging. Jack slowly lifted his own trembling hand and placed it on the glass on his side.
"Always will hoss," Jack said, eyes glassy and wild with the fever and his whole body coated in a sheen of sweat from the sickness.
"You always will," Mac promised and Jack rested his forehead on the glass, eyes closed and noticeably calmer.
"Nicely done blondie," Matty murmured impressed, but Mac didn't reply as he kept his focus on Jack and the rise and fall of his chest. Jack would beat this and everything would go back to their version of normal.