A little silly story about how sometimes we all just need someone to do the talking and the caring...
He was so tired, everything hurt, his whole body felt like it had been used as the ball at a ping pong tournament. The bank robbers in Puerto Rico had done their best to hurt him. He usually didn't like hospitals or medics, or needles, and was normally more than willing to just work through the pain of minimal injuries (much to Jack's chagrin) and get things done; today though, for some reason, he just was not really wanting to do that.
He laid on the Phoenix Jet, eyes closed, as they flew towards wherever it was they were headed on their next assignment. Mac knew Jack and the others were worried about him; his face was three shades of purple already, he was moving very stiffly and slowly due to the blows to the ribs, chest and kidneys, not to mention his head; he could tell that Jack was doing his best to not go full on Papa-Jack on him but was close, very, very close. Mac also knew that because of this, all he had to do was say "the word" and Jack would take Matty and the Devil himself on if needed, on his behalf, get the mission cancelled and get him some rest. Should he though? He sighed; he need a break, he knew it. He was tired of being tired, and tired of hurting, and just tired…The hell with it he thought, he opened his eyes and ran a hand over his face; here goes nothing….
He started to sit up, a move he knew would elicit pain, pain he could use. He shifted his legs over the side of the couch, used his right elbow to prop himself up, a move that made the whole room spin in a sickening fashion, making his vision blurry and his stomach turn, eliciting a groan of pain he made no effort to subdue as he pushed himself completely up into a sitting position. Jack, as he suspected, upon hearing the groan, was beside him instantly.
"Hey kiddo, you OK?" Jack asked as he sat beside him on the couch. Mac knew if he came right out and said "no", not only would they all panic and he would end up spending the next month in a hospital being examined every 15 minutes from head to toe, but that he would also give Jack a heart attack and many more grey hairs (which he often blamed on Mac or Riley, not his age); so, he decided to take it in slowly.
"I'm sore", good start Mac thought, this was not the usual "I'm OK" they would be expecting, but also not a full on "I'm dying" comment that would send everything into a frenzy. "And a bit nauseated" Mac continued as he put his head in both his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees. He felt Jack's hand on his neck checking his pulse, and Jack's other hand on his arm, squeezing him gently.
Jack heard Mac groan as he started to sit up on the couch he had been sleeping on for the last couple of hours; he knew Mac would be hurting after the beating he took, but it was not like Mac to let his pain be that public, so he rushed over to the kid's side and sat on the couch beside him, exchanging a worried look with Riley and Bozer when Mac admitted to being both sore and nauseated.
"Could I please get some water?" Mac asked Bozer as he looked up at his friend. Bozer of course nodded and ran over to grab some water. "Riley, do me a favor" Mac continued as he closed his eyes again, fighting the vertigo that lingered; "grab me some Ibuprofen from the First Aid Kit". He heard Riley say "sure thing Mac" in a tone that betrayed her worry, as he felt Jack's grip on his arm and now the back of his neck tighten.
Jack was nearing panic mode now; the kid was not only admitting to pain and discomfort but had asked for medication as well. "Mac, bro, what is going on kid? Jack turned to his partner, using one of his hands to grab Mac's chin and turn the kids head towards him so he could get a good look and some eye contact.
Mac opened his eyes and looked at Jack; "I told you, I'm sore", Mac sighed, "I also have a pounding headache". Mac rubbed a hand through his hair, not being able to hold back the wince of pain the movement caused him. He then let himself fall back against the cushions of the couch as he blindly reached for both the water and the pills his friends brought him. "thanks" he whispered and still with eyes closed, he took the pills and sipped on the water, slowly, so as not to aggravate his nausea.
Jack looked at Riley and Bozer, both of whom were sporting very worried expressions. They knew it was not like Mac to admit to any pain or to ask for pain medications. They both looked at Jack who tilted his head towards the back of the plane, asking them for some privacy for Mac and him until he could figure out what was going on. They both made their way over quietly, allowing Jack the privacy he wanted.
Mac felt Jack start to unbutton his shirt, normally, he would swat Jack's hands away, remind Jack of the concept of Personal Space, and tell him "he was fine", but not today, nope, he wanted, no, needed, his "father" to be there, he wanted, he needed to just be taken care of for once in his life without feeling guilty about it, so he said nothing, did nothing, simply laid there and allowed Jack to do what Jack needed to do.
Jack's hand trembled slightly as he realized that Mac was not going to stop him, or try to, from unbuttoning his shirt and checking his injuries; that was definitely not like Mac, but he, for right now, was not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, so he continued on, pulling the shirt open, then he began tenderly pushing against the kids ribs and side to check for any "give" or any signs of other issues.
Mac kept his eyes closed and groaned freely with pain whenever Jack found a tender spot on his body, which was not at all hard, he damn near fell off the couch as he bolted straight when Jack found a very painful spot around his kidneys, making his breathing labored and his eyes water.
"Sorry kiddo, breathe, come one Mac, breathe, slowly, in and out" He heard Jack say. It took him a minute to regain his composure. Jack ran a hand through his hair, what the hell was going on? He was trying to add 2+ 2 but kept getting 22; something was not right here.
"It's OK Jack" Mac said as he laid back down against the couch, swallowing hard, fighting back the nausea that now was even more pronounced. He sighed again and closed his eyes. "He got a few good punches in". He felt Jack shake him gently, so he opened his eyes and looked at his friend, partner, brother, father, all the above, and waited for Jack to make the next move.
"Mac, brother, are you up for this next mission kid?" Jack asked, worry obvious on both his face and his tone.
Bingo! Mac thought; here was his opening, his chance to let Jack take over and get him out of this next mission he really had neither the desire nor the energy to do, even though Matty was adamant they needed to be the team that completed it.
Mac took a deep breath, mentally bracing himself for the fallout his next words would surely cause.
"Honestly Jack, no..," He said as he looked at Jack, Mac didn't know someone could look confused, scared and worried all at once, evidently, they could.
When Jack heard Mac actually admit to not being up to their next mission it was all he could do to not go into a full-blown panic attack. What the hell? He thought, how did he let this happen? How could he not see his boy was hurting this badly?
"OK Mac, you're scaring me bro" He told the boy, "what is going on?" Jack grabbed the boy's shoulder with one hand, "if you were feeling so badly, why didn't you say something sooner son?" Jack asked as he carded a hand through the boy's hair, again, pushing back panic when Mac did not stop him.
"Because…" Mac said softly, sounding more like a 10-year-old boy than a 25-year-old man.
"Because why?" Jack took the bait, asking softly, now holding a hand on the kid's cheek, rubbing his thumb back and forth on it in an attempt to comfort them both really.
"Because Matty was adamant that we do this next mission, and I did not want to go 3 rounds with her" Mac sighed and continued, looking at Jack, "it was just easier to keep going along with it"
Jack nodded, "You don't worry about Matty" Jack said in a tone that left no doubt that Matty or whomever else thought they could put Mac in harm's way when the kid was not feeling well, would have to go through him to do so, and that was not going to be at all easy, "I will talk to her and get us turned around kid"
Mac nodded, relieved his plan worked without sending his friends into a panic that involved emergency landings, The National Guard, or anything else as such.
"I just need a break Jack" Mac admitted softly; "I thought I was up to this, but I am not, and I don't want to jeopardize the mission or anyone's safety"; "I don't know why, I just can't right now…" his voice cracked as he said that last part.
Jack raised an eyebrow at Mac's admissions and tone. He nodded and then grabbed a blanket and a pillow from one of the overhead bins.
"Lie back down kiddo" He grabbed the kid's legs to help him lie back down on the couch; he put the pillow under Mac's head and then wrapped him in the blanket. He sat back down beside the boy and ran his hand through the boy's hair again as he spoke and looked down at him.
"It's OK son, you rest OK?" Mac nodded. "I will go have a chat with our fearless leader, with Oversight or the damn Pope if need be, but we are turning back and going home OK?" Jack kept his hand on Mac's cheek and squeezed. "You just get some sleep and let Jack do the talking"
"Thanks Jack" Mac said quietly, closing his eyes as he felt Jack get up off the couch. He knew that Jack would handle things for him, take care of everything. There was a part of him that felt shame for allowing Jack to do this for him, instead of him talking to Matty himself, but really, he felt grateful that he had such a person in his life that no matter what happened, would have his back always, and was willing to take care of things, of HIM, without reservations.
He felt the plane start a turn as he began to sink back into sleep. A brief smile on his lips as he fell into sleep, secure in the knowledge he would be home soon.
Should I keep going? What do you all think?