A/N My first attempt at sharing some of the MacGyver world I orchestrate in my head. Please excuse any glaring errors, unlikely circumstances or leaps of imagination that wouldn't really be feasible in reality, this is a work of fiction. I don't own anything but my imagination, I just like to populate it with these wonderful characters that someone else created. Gib has encouraged me to put this out there, and has been very helpful with suggestions and tweaks. Feel free to send her any complaints. I'm sure she'll think of a creative, painful way to pay me back.

Jack entered the house, announcing his arrival loudly by calling out for his friend.

"Out here" Mac waved from a chair in front of the unlit fire pit.

"Behaving yourself?" Jack greeted as he settled onto a lounge next to him.

"Wish you'd get off your mother hen kick Jack. I've been home two weeks and it got old before we left that house of horrors hospital!" Four days in ICU and six days spent almost entirely on bed rest recuperating before he could convince the doctor to release him on his own (well on Jack's) recognizance from their last mission had not left him in a good humor.

"You bring it on yourself, kid. I wouldn't have to be here on guard duty if there was even a slim chance of you being in compliance with the doctor's orders for a change, now would I?"

"Are you kidding me? I am bored out of my mind and almost rested to death!" Mac growled. "Between you and Bozer the only privacy I've had has been in the bathroom. This morning was the first time you've left me alone for a minute! Where'd you go anyway?"

"So you didn't find the minicam Riley hid in the light fixture huh?" Jack enquired in a cheerful voice. He waited a beat, watching eagerly for a reaction. "Gotcha!" Jack laughed as Mac's eyes widened dramatically for a moment in abject horror.

"Eighteen." Mac murmured as he pinched the skin between his eyebrows and gritted his teeth.

"What's that?" Jack asked as he punched his friend's upper arm playfully.

"I've devised eighteen ways to kill you that will not leave a trace in the last two days alone, Jack." He replied, glancing at him narrowly, "Want to hear my favorite?"

"Pass" Jack replied hastily, going on to change the subject. "I just picked up a sweet loaded SUV for our trip, it was the last black one in the lot."

At Mac's questioning look he continued. "Thought we could drive up to your Grandpa's cabin for a few days. Get your mind off killing me and you can murder some fish instead. I'll even let you gut and clean them." Hie waggled his eyebrows over a shameless grin. "I checked, doc said you could go, with a few little restrictions, and I thought we could invite Boze & Riley" he added the last part hurriedly, trying to divert his friend's attention from the restrictions part of the plan.

Three weeks and four days prior~~~

Jack chased one suspect toward the rear exit of the apartment building, after reluctantly leaving his partner to deal with the accomplice in the apartment they had tracked them to. Suspect number two solidly smashed the modified baseball bat he kept with him into Mac's left side and left him gasping on the floor in apartment 206. By the time Mac had staggered to his feet the man was well on his way to a two story lead and was just now entering the lobby at a dead run. Mac raced in the direction he had seen his attacker take. Reaching the balcony a moment later and glancing quickly around for options, Mac had thought it would be a good idea to jump from the second floor landing to the thick chain suspending the sparkling crystal and gold chandelier that hung above the main lobby. His plan to slide down the long chain had worked perfectly until the fixture unexpected gave away from the ceiling and sent him crashing heavily onto the shards of broken glass and the suspect, who did still manage to cushion his fall somewhat. The blow to his side had caused him a ruptured spleen beneath some fractured ribs. The landing on all those sharp shards, bent metal and flattened suspect had resulted in a lot of sutures, way too many to count, a badly twisted ankle, a couple of torn ligaments in one knee and multiple bruises everywhere else. It would be easier to note the few areas of his body that weren't bruised and cut than to list the parts that were, but Mac had faired better than his target. Besides being successfully stopped by the resourceful agent, the man had unfortunately been body slammed to death. Jack had entered the darkened lobby of the apartment building with his prisoner in tow to find the memorably bloody and frightening spectacle of Mac's limp unconscious body splayed over the dead man's. Even in the resultant dimly lit room the bloody wreckage stood out in stark contrast to the white ceramic tile of the previously pristine floor. Jack wouldn't forget that image any time soon, if ever.

It would therefore be a long while before he'd let his blond genius out of his sight. When they had wheeled that pale, still body into ICU following his many hours of surgery, Jack had made a vow to himself. He would modify that reckless stubborn streak his friend exhibited repeatedly that had almost gotten him killed yet again, or else. Or else what Jack wasn't sure, but something had to be done. The surgeons had repaired the life threatening but thankfully non fatal injuries sustained on that mission. Jack would do what he could to repair what ever it was that made his friend so careless of his own mortality. He had not left his side for any significant length of time since. In ICU he had remained planted in a chair at his bedside. In the private room arranged by Thornton that followed, a fold out bed/chair combination had appeared. Jack had made use of it, although he really seldom actually slept much. It hadn't taken MacGyver long to figure out something was changed in their relationship, once he had recovered sufficiently to notice. He wasn't sure what exactly was going on, and Jack had not been forthcoming. He denied acting any different but steadfastly refused to leave his presence. Mac was grateful at first, it made him feel safe and was comforting to wake up to Jack's calming influence. A few days after the move to the private room though Mac was already bored, angry at everyone involved in his (to him) unnecessary and unwelcome attempts to administer care or attention. Numerous complaints, discussions, eventual arguments ensued. Mac tried to be polite and patient, pun fully intended, to the nursing staff involved. But he responded as 'armed and dangerous' as his weakened state would allow him to the ongoing attention he was receiving from Jack. Starting with, " What's going on with you Jack?" and quickly progressing to pointed glares and growls of frustration were getting him no where. Jack deflected or ignored his attempts at gaining any answers or coveted 'space' from his always overprotective but now infuriatingly attentive partner. "Jack, you're driving me crazy! Go home, you look worse than I feel, what is going on, really?" He pleaded, small traces of color coming up on his cheeks for the first time since since his arrival at the hospital.

"I'm going for coffee, can I get you something?" Jack replied calmly, ignoring the question and avoiding the searching blue eyes that followed his every movement as he stood and stepped toward the doorway. Maybe this would help him in his efforts to make Mac more careful, less injury prone. If he pushed him far enough into a corner with this maybe Mac would be compelled to make some changes in his ways. Nah, probably not gonna work, Jack realized. Even a well entended promise from Mac, who was fully committed when he extended one, wouldn't deflect a laser focused Mac genius plan from forming without regard to the 'possible' unfortunate consequences. Mac lived in the moment, immediate answers and results were his domain, he never let self doubt or second guesses jump between him and his next move. Consequences were something he dealt with later, along with heavy doses of guilt if anyone else suffered from his actions. This made Mac the ultimate asset to every mission, indispensable to everyone's needs and priorities, but his own. Jack had his work cut out for him if he thought he could alter Mac's own perceptions and mindset. He had never met a more stubborn or unstoppable intellect. He knew he would die trying to protect Mac from others, but what could he possibly do to protect him from himself? If only Mac had come with a User Manual, Jack thought wryly.

Present day ~~~

After announcing their plans and extending welcomed invitations, Jack set about gathering what he thought they might need for the next week, or however long they decided to stay away. Riley and Bozer were able to swing a long 4 day weekend, but Mac's medical leave had an open end date. Mac wouldn't be welcomed or permitted inside Phoenix headquarters until his doctors gave an all clear. Subsequently, Jack had placed himself on inactive status for the interim. He was adamant, despite any suggestions, threats or temper flares directed at him to withstand Mac's roller coaster mood swings and mild attempts at escape. True enough, Mac's post op and post injury status had left him with a pronounced limp and no strength or stamina to speak of. But Jack knew his friend better than even Bozer did. He knew things would change, that each day could be more challenging than the last to rein in Mac's eventual return to being himself. He was a stubborn, immovable force of nature presence with a no one will tell me what to think or do attitude, behind a soft crooked smile of disguise. Add to that his inability to sit still level of physical energy, it would all be working its way back into his currently weakened demeanor soon. Although Jack cherished every bit of his friends unique outlook and personality and even missed it, he was hesitant to welcome it's return in full measure. It was scary to think about when every time he shut his eyes he saw that scene from the apartment lobby behind his closed lids. Mac regaining his health was both a goal and a challenge he felt ambivalent about. He had discussed some of his worries with Bozer and Ri, briefly, with the intent of enlisting their help at keeping their friend in check. Riley knew enough from the last year or so alone how Mac dealt with or rather ignored any concept of convalescence. Bozer had experienced Mac's denial of any sign of vulnerability since childhood. They both agreed to accept the challenge of watching Mac's back, front, sides, top to bottom whatever was needed to protect him from himself. They had made themselves available from the onset of Mac's most recent work related 'accident' and were eager to put in the time and effort needed especially as Jack's difficulties with a partially healed MacGyver increased. Everyone, including Mac was looking at the next few days as a challenge, but for vastly different reasons. Mac thought this was going to be a chance for him to finally find some breathing space from the recent clawing, claustrophobic feelings he had been experiencing since the last mission. He really only remembered bits and pieces of it. His ill fated spur of the moment plan of action was a blur of pain, lights, motion and blood and was easily relegated to the back of his mind. Jack's exaggerated fixation with staying so close to him ever since he could only conclude had to be a knee-jerk reaction to the high visibility of his injuries. Usually articles of clothing or even a temporary splint or crutch were the only evidence of his on the job accidents. This time he had bandages poking out, a limp he couldn't hide and an overwhelming weakness that felt like it oozed out of him, despite any efforts on his part to ignore it. The blood loss and his body's adjustment to losing an organ were responsible he thought. It didn't help that he now how a regimen of meds he had to take throughout the day, and frequent blood tests to monitor his status until he was more fully recovered.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny as they all climbed into a roomy four wheel drive vehicle neatly packed with everything they would need for a week's worth of fishing, cooking, swimming, hiking, hunting or anything else they could think of to do on the wooded lake front property that they were headed for.

The two hour drive began with Mac describing their destination with a soft nostalgic smile on his face. It sounded like a the perfect place for a loving grandfather to take an active growing young Mac for a summer of loosely supervised adventurous outdoor activities. Or the perfect secluded, out of the way nature retreat for a team of hard working professional spies to de-stress, relax and enjoy the great outdoors. Although rustic in appearance, he assured them it had amenities that would insure their comfort. His grandfather had started with a small cabin in a clearing in a large wooded piece of land and had added to it to make it a comfortable family sized home that allowed you to feel like you were living off the land in the wilderness. Huge redwoods and other natural growth lined a long winding road that opened into the clearing for the house and a few utility sheds. To the side and in view of a comfortable wrap around covered porch a well worn path took you on a pleasant walk through more trees that led to a quiet lake that Mac told them was home to an assortment of trout, perch, bass and other varieties of small fish. The forest had an abundant quantity of small fowl and wildlife as well. They wouldn't be starving by any means he bragged to them confidently. A small chuckle escaped him as he hastily reassured a round eyed Riley that they had packed some backup provisions from home in a large cooler as well. After that somewhat lengthy explanation of where they were headed Mac settled back with a relaxed sigh and shortly thereafter appeared to drift into a light slumber. Jack smiled to himself and hummed softly along with the radio while focusing on the road and the occupants in the rear seemed to be content with observing the scenic views along the drive.