Mac grumbled and pulled the comforter back so he could blink at the darkness of his bedroom. His hair flew in an unruly mess around his grumpy face. He shook his head and was about to bring his head back into the marshmallow cocoon of his bedding when he heard what had woken him up. Mac glared at the cell phone on his bedside table. It continued to buzz and stayed lit up. Mac blinked and snatched it up as he rolled onto his back.
"Hrmm?" He growled.
"Mac, oh thank God, brother I need you, I'm dying!" Mac blinked awake in an instant. Jack was panicking, his voice thick with tears and pain.
"Jack, what's wrong? Where are you?"
"MAC! I'm home, man." Mac rubbed his eyes as he pulled on his running shoes and grabbed his jacket in one smooth move.
"What happened? Are you hurt?"
"Am I ever hurt! Hurry, I'm dying!"
"Ok, I'm coming stay on the phone with me, ok?" Mac didn't get anything else about what had happened, but he managed to calm Jack down and distract him from the agony he couldn't ignore. "Ok, I'm here," Mac said jogging up the miles of stairs to Jack's apartment. He used his key and let himself. Mac froze his eyes wide. All the furniture sprawled overturned, the shelves knocked over, and belongings were strewn haphazardly around the floor. Even Telly Savalas had fallen from the wall.
"Jack?" Mac felt his heart gallop with fear, "JACK?" He heard a weak mumble and followed it to Jack's bedroom. He froze his brain not accepting what he was seeing. Jack laid spread-eagled across the carpet. He held a blood-tinged wooden bat, and there was a hole in the wall over his bed that had a long streak of blood flowing straight down from it. On the bed was one of Jack's barstools tipped on its side with a hockey stick broken in half woven through the wooden legs. Mac shook his head, "This is gonna be a good one, I can tell." Mac murmured as he bent over his partner. Jack was only semiconscious. A lump the size of a golfball tinged with flowing blood poked out of his short cap of hair. Mac winced and gently probed it. Jack groaned and absently raised a hand. Mac grabbed the older man's arm. Long scratches ran the length of Jack's arm. Mac checked the rest of Jack's body. Jack groaned when Mac touched the back of his neck and shoulders. Mac didn't think anything was broken.
Mac stood and went to Jack's kitchen and bathroom. He wrapped a bag of frozen beans in a towel and gently placed it on Jack's forehead. Jack hissed grabbing Mac's wrist with a hard grip. The older man's eyes widened, but he was dazed. Mac turned his arm, so he held Jack's hand and put his hand on Jack's scruffy cheek.
"Hey, big guy? You with me?" Mac peered into Jack's brown eyes. Pupils were normal.
"M..c?" Mac smiled.
"Yeah, buddy. Do you hurt anywhere other than your head?"
"M'head hurts."
"I bet it does. Anything else?" Jack's eyes sagged. Mac gently shook him awake, "Jack, where do you hurt?"
"M'head! Tol'ya that." Mac nodded.
"Ok, buddy. I'll be right back, ok?"
"Hmmm." Mac cleared off Jack's bed and pulled back the covers. Jack wore a Black Sabbath T and boxers. It'll do. Mac grimaced as he bent and scooped Jack up under his arms. Jack moaned and slurred something. Mac huffed as he pulled Jack's torso onto the bed. Mac turned and lifted Jack's legs in. He straightened out the older man's body then covered it with blankets. Mac replaced the ice pack and leaned over the edge of the bed. He followed the blood smear down to the crushed body of a small fruit bat.
"What the…? Jack!" Mac chuckled. He pulled out his phone and called Doc Carl. Doc Carl said to keep Jack in bed with ice pack on and wake him up periodically over the night.
"You've been through this enough to know." Doc Carl grumbled tiredly.
"Yeah, the bump I'm not worried about, what about rabies?"
"Hmmm, yeah. Ok, I'll send Sally over with a shot. Clean up his wounds with some iodine." Mac scowled, "Mac, I can hear that scowl. Be nice."
"I'm always nice; it's Sally that's mean!" Mac growled. Doc Carl hung up before Mac could sputter anything else. Mac got soapy water and iodine rinse and washed the scratches on Jack's arm. He scooped up the remains of the broken bat and put them in a paper bag. He heard the doorbell. Sally smiled.
"Hey, Mac! Pretty night isn't it?" Mac growled at her. She shook her head and unslung the black bag slung over her shoulder. She took in the apartment as she removed her coat, "What the hell happened here? Did Jack get into a fight?"
"A fight to the death, apparently," Mac said pointing at the bag. Sally looked in and wrinkled her nose.
"A bat? Ok, where's Jack?"
"Down the hall to the left." Sally moved to the hall and paused, "Aren't you coming?" Mac looked at her surprised.
"What! Why?" Sally rolled her eyes.
"Mac, Jack is out of it and hates shots more than you do."
"You want me to hold him down?" Mac said his voice more distasteful than when he was bagging the bat. Sally smiled sweetly.
"Please, I don't want to hurt him." Mac sighed and shook his head. However he may feel about the evil elf, he knew Jack's health was her priority. Sally wouldn't enjoy it any more than Mac did. Now if it had been Mac, he had no doubt she'd be cackling in glee. Mac glared at the back of the small woman's head.
"Don't look at me in that tone of voice, kiddo," Sally said as she turned into Jack's room. Mac paused surprised. He managed a half smile as he followed her.
"Sally, I have no idea what you mean." He said with wide-eyed innocence. Sally laughed and shook her head. She turned serious as she set her bag down. Sally pulled out a blood pressure cuff. She turned Jack's arm and winced at the long scratches.
"You washed these?"
"Soap and water then iodine."
"Good, I'm going to give you some ointment."
"Ok."
"Here help me roll him so I can check him for more scratches." Mac helped Sally gently move Jack's limp body. She pulled up the back of his shirt then leaned back surprised, "Oh my." Mac agreed. Two spots of frenzied scratches appeared over his shoulder blades. Mac chuckled. Sally looked at him surprised.
"He leaned back against the bat," Mac explained studying matching scratches in the man's T-Shirt. Sally chuckled then shook her head.
"I'm sorry that's not funny."
"No, it isn't." Mac laughed. They worked together to clean and bandage the scratches. Sally did a quick assessment then pulled a shot out of her bag. Mac looked at it with the cap on and felt queasy. As if sensing his partner's discomfort Jack mumbled his eyes slitted open, "Uh-huh, big guy, go back to sleep you don't want to be awake for this." Mac said in a soothing voice. Jack smiled patting Mac's hand as he drifted off again. Mac shot Sally a desperate look. She nodded uncapped the needle and injected Jack in the abdomen in one smooth movement. Sally jumped back as Mac leaned forward grabbing both of Jack's arms as the Delta bolted to sitting searching for enemies.
"Whoa, easy, big guy. It's ok; you're fine." Jack huffed at Mac his eyes narrowing.
"What''sup?" the Texan slurred. Mac smiled and eased Jack back.
"Nothing, Jack. You're ok, time to get some rest buddy."
"Hmmok, did I get'm?" Mac shared a smile with Sally.
"You beat the shit out of him, Jack." Jack grinned and sighed
as if Mac had given him a teddy bear to hold. Mac shook his head and turned off the lamp. He left the hall light on and door open as he followed Sally to the living room. Sally put on her jacket.
"You know the routine?"
"Of course," Mac growled wishing she would just leave. Sally shook her head.
"Anything else comes up, give me a call. Sam's having a sleepover. Ten fourth-graders! I'll be up, don't worry." Mac smiled and nodded holding the door mentally shoving the nurse out the door. Sally sighed and walked down the hall. Mac waited until she was in the stairwell before locking the door. Mac checked on Jack again. His partner mumbled and moved his head back and forth. Mac frowned. He reached out the back of his hand to Jack's forehead. The Delta was sweaty and shivered, but didn't feel hot. When Sally checked him over, he didn't have a fever. Mac frowned. Jack began to mumble louder, and he began to wrestle against the covers. A nightmare.
Mac sat on the edge of Jack's bed and tensed ready to dive for the floor.
"Jack, hey buddy. Jack?" Mac touched Jack on the arm. Jack reacted as if Mac had fired a gun in his ear. He sat up roaring in rage. Mac flattened on the floor missing the quick strike combination that would have killed Mac instantly if they landed. Jack fought his way out of bed and stood beside his bed his chest heaving with fear. All of his muscles tightened ready for a fight to the death. His eyes raked the environment looking for threats. Mac rolled onto his back. Keeping his voice casual, Mac spoke.
"Hey, big guy, how are you feeling?" Jack jumped then stared down at Mac puzzled.
"Mac? What the hell are you doing here? Why are you on the floor?" Mac smiled and shook his head. He took Jack's hand and let the older man pull him to his feet. Jack sat down and rubbed his head. He grunted wincing in pain. Mac sat beside him leaning over to make sure Jack's pupils hadn't changed.
"I think you got into a fight with a bat?" Jack grimaced taking in the mess of the room.
"Oh, yeah I remember." Jack looked away, his voice taking a strange tone. Mac frowned. He put an arm on his partner's arm. Jack jumped, and Mac could see it took a conscious effort for the Delta to relax. Mac had seen that reaction after a long or brutal battle before Jack had a chance to decompress. Mac glanced over at the smear down the wall. There was more to it than just a bat hunt.
"Are you ok, buddy?" Mac asked softly. Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded.
"Yeah, just a headache. I'll be fine. Sorry to drag you all the way out here for nothing. I'll see you in the morning, kiddo." Jack turned away from Mac assuming Mac would leave. Mac huffed grabbed Jack's shoulder and pulled him back. Jack looked at him surprised.
"Jack, I know there's more about this than one bat. I've seen you freak out about some strange things but never go all…" Jack bent and picked up the blood-tinged baseball bat. He grinned at Mac who closed his eyes groaning.
"Going all Batman?"
"Jack…"
"C'mon, Mac, even you have to admit that had to be said." Mac glared at Jack.
"Ok, a) No, it really didn't, and b) I'm serious. Your whole apartment is torn up, what the hell is going on?" Jack's face fell, and he carefully leaned the bat against the table. Mac knew the older man moved slow to either gather his thoughts or hope Mac would drop it. Mac waited. He had no plans to go anywhere. Jack sighed.
"Angkor." Mac sat back his eyes wide. He felt his mouth drain off any moisture. It had been the closest Mac had come to losing his partner. Mac's heart pounded.
"What about it?" Mac had a pretty good guess, but he wanted Jack to let it out. Jack closed his eyes and rubbed a faded scar along the side of his neck.
"When I was...was buried…" Jack stood up and began to pace to remind himself he wasn't buried alive. Mac waited, "That cave had a lot of bats, ok? I know it's stupid and their only flying rats...but pinned there unable to see in the dark…" Jack turned away his fingers jabbed at tears he blinked away. Mac looked down and nodded.
"Anyone would be freaked out, Jack," Mac said softly. Jack looked at him his face turning serious. Jack sat beside Mac.
"You know it wasn't your fault, right?" Jack asked. Mac studied his hands and sighed.
"In my head, maybe, but…" Mac held up a hand. Jack put his arm across Mac's shoulder and pulled him in for a quick half embrace. Mac tolerated it for a long minute, then pulled away and stood. Mac began to move around the room straightening and cleaning without a word. Jack's shoulders slumped.
"You know, laying under those big ol' rocks only being able to move one arm and having to use that one holding in blood…" Jack paused closing his eyes shuddering at the memory. He looked up to see Mac looking at him his blue eyes sad and guilty,"brother, the only thing that kept me sane and focused enough to get through was knowing you were coming in to save your favorite damsel in distress." Mac chuckled and shook his head. Jack grinned glad to erase the guilt from his partner's eyes. Mac earned an honorary doctorate when it came to finding a way to blame yourself for everything that goes wrong around you. Jack stood up and moaned sitting back down. Mac was at his side in an instant.
"Dizziness?"
"Yeah. Concussion?"
"Probably only a good knock on the head, but you did pass out," Mac said. Jack sighed.
"Good thing for the Dalton skull!" Mac frowned.
"Maybe so, get in bed. I got work to do and don't want to lift you off the floor again." Mac pulled the covers back and pushed Jack under them. Jack blinked up at him.
"Work, what are…"
"Go to sleep," Mac commanded leaving a bedside lamp on and the door ajar. Jack went to sit up, Mac again pushed him down his eyes narrowed. Jack laid back down and held up his hands in surrender. Mac smiled, tucking the older man in then went out into the living room. Jack shook his head.
"And they think I turn into a Papa Bear, sheesh." Jack yawned and turned to his side letting his eyes close. He winced. Everything hurt. He frowned and touched his abdomen. He felt a tell-tale burn. A shot, he'd gotten a shot? When had he gotten a shot? Jack growled and closed his eyes. He and the kid would have a lengthy discussion about who gets shots when. Jack drifted into a deep sleep.
Bright sunlight coming in the window woke him. He blinked wincing at the spear of agony that impaled his skull. It took him a minute to catch up on everything that happened.
"Mac? Hey, Mac?" Jack frowned when there was no answer. Jack sat up and groaned as everything swished back and forth. He waited until everything settled then managed to stand. His eyes widened as he went into the living room. Everything was back to normal. Even Jack's old table had a repaired leg, and that was broken long before Mac had ever seen this apartment. Mac sprawled in Jack's recliner bangs hanging over his face. Jack smiled then crossed to the door and window. He leaned closer and felt gratitude melt his heart. Mac had found every tiny hole a bat could have come in and meshed with them. He'd also changed the fluorescent bulbs outside for softer yellow ones that kept bugs away which would help keep bats out. Jack shook his head. He went into the kitchen and chuckled.
All of his cupboards were neat and organized. His stove which had a burnt out element was repaired, and the refrigerator didn't rattle. Looking closer, Jack saw Mac had put a wooden wedge under one side. Jack didn't think his apartment had looked this nice since...well, ever. Jack poured two glasses of orange juice and moved to Mac's side. He tapped the kid on the shoulder. Mac bolted upright eyes wide. He blinked and looked up at Jack.
"You, Ok?" Mac asked his eyes raking Jack for any more injuries.
"Nothing some Tylenol won't cure." Mac took the juice. Jack turned and went to the bathroom for the pain pills. Jack paused to study the bump on his forehead. The swelling was less prominent, but the purple had spread under his scalp. Half of his scalped looked like a prune. Jack sighed. Wouldn't be the first or last time. Jack chuckled.
Mac had finished his OJ and fallen back asleep. He sat forward on the edge of the chair, his arms folded on the coffee table. Jack finished his juice then crossed to the kid. He shook Mac until the blond eyed him blearily.
"C'mon, kiddo," Mac mumbled something but staggered to the guest room as Jack guided him. Jack pulled back the covers. Mac plopped in and was asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Jack grimaced as he lifted Mac's legs and laid him full on the bed. Jack glowed when he noticed that Mac wore his running shoes. The kid had come running (pun entirely meant) as soon as Jack called.
Jack brushed Mac's bangs out of his face. Mac growled at him but didn't wake up.
"Thanks, brother," Jack said softly letting his partner sleep. Mac was always Jack's highest priority, but it was nice to know if he needed help his partner would always be there for him too.