Jack opened the door of his apartment and flipped the light switch on. He was tired and worried about Mac. He just wanted to shower and go to Mac's. He knew it was late, but he knew that Mac would still be up. He knew after to Mac on the phone that Mac would only feel better for a short time. He knows that Mac is going to get in his own head until he can't take it anymore and spiral out of control. He would have a hard time getting Mac out of his spiral, so he wanted to prevent it from happening. He was lost in his own thoughts about Mac that he didn't notice the state of his apartment. His furniture was moved, everything in his cabinets was spread out on the floor, everything in his kitchen cabinets was on the counter. The pictures on the wall were carefully placed on his sofa, the cushions thrown on the floor. He pulled his gun out and went down to his bedroom. He didn't notice the person in the corner sitting on the floor as he went to the bedroom finding it also in disarray. He finally noticed someone sitting on the floor, back against the wall with their knees up to their chest, arms wrapped around them and head down. He put his gun away when he noticed the blond hair.
"Mac?" Jack asked.
The head popped up not looking at Jack at all. The words that were uttered confused Jack, but also the tone broke his heart.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Mac said in a broken voice.
Jack kneeled in front of him. "Mac what's wrong? Did you do this to my apartment?"
"He said he left a bomb for me to find. I had to make sure."
"Mac, what are you talking about?" Jack knew what had happened. Mac didn't tell him everything, just that the Ghost was dead.
"The Ghost said that he was impressed that I defused 129 bombs. I got on his radar and he wanted me out of the way. He planted a bomb to get rid of me, but the robot broke and Pena went in instead. The bomb where you almost died, my house, they were meant for me. I met Eileen at the bar and she checked out with Phoenix. She knew where the Ghost was. I ended up trapped in a room with him and he told me that he set a bomb somewhere in L.A for me to find. Eileen came in and it turned out he was her father. She stabbed him and killed him because he killed her mother. When he died, he dropped the dead man switch. It activated, and Eileen ran out of the room instead of helping me. She left me there and in order to defuse I would have to go under it. I couldn't move it. Bozer and Riley came in and I told them they had to leave but they refused. I couldn't think Jack and I was freaking out. Riley helped clam me down and I found a way to defuse it and did it with 3 seconds left. I kept thinking how everyone was going to die and it would be my fault. Then I kept thinking that there was bomb somewhere and I couldn't let you get hurt if it was here."
"so, you trashed my place looking for a bomb, so I wouldn't die?"
When Mac met his eyes, they were red, swollen and full of guilt and anguish.
"I had to know Jack. I can't let anything happen to you. I need you Jack! I need to know that, that…." Mac didn't know how to finish. He knew what he wanted to say was ridiculous. He knew that Jack would never leave him, never leave to die in a room with a bomb. He knows Jack would be there with him no matter what.
"Mac what were you going to say?" Jack had a feeling he knew what Mac was going to say, but he wanted him to say it.
"I need to know that you won't leave me to die alone." Mac said as tears fell from his eyes. Jack's heart broke at the words he knew were going to be said. He reached out and gripped Mac's shoulders and the back of his head pushing him onto his shoulder.
"Oh Mac. I would never leave you alone ever. You and I will always be together, through the stupid little things to big giant things. Always Mac. You never leave family alone. Hear me? NEVER. And if anything, ever did happen, it will never be your fault." Jack said feeling the shaking the kid was doing, knowing he was silently sobbing. After what was only a few minutes but felt like hours Mac slid back against the wall. He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt and looked around.
"I'm sorry about what I did to your apartment. I clean it."
"Don't worry bud. I think you need some sleep. We can clean later."
"No Jack, I'll clean it now." Mac said starting to stand up.
Jack grabbed his arm and said "no Mac. We are going to clean off the bed and lay down and sleep."
"Okay" Mac said around a yawn.
Jack led Mac to the bedroom where he cleared the bed of all the clothes that Mac had stacked there and led Mac down on to the bed. As soon as Mac's head hit the pillow he was out. Jack grabbed his phone and dialed the familiar number.
"Mattie, two months to get the kid to clear his head again."
"Okay Jack. He's been through enough the last couple of months. Just take care of your boy and tell Blondie it's not his fault and he did good. He saved a lot of people."
After hanging up with Mattie Jack called the only other person who could clam him down besides the kid sleeping soundly next to him.
"Nana, we're coming home." Jack said as tears fell from his eyes.