Written because, let's be honest, that explosion had to have had some side effects.

I'm not too happy with the ending, but let me knwo what ya'll think. Reviews are treasured.

They were on the plane ride home when it happened.

Both Jack and MacGyver were talking to Riley when MacGyver's eyes suddenly rolled up into his head and he collapsed. Riley stared at his limp body in shock; Jack barely reacted fast enough to catch him before he hit the ground. The older man set him in an empty seat. Jack was just straightening up when he accidentally hit his back on the headrest of the seat in front of MacGyver. The man let out a breathy groan of pain, his eyes rolling up in his head before he too collapsed.

Riley couldn't prevent him from falling forward onto MacGyver. Luckily two of the marines were sitting nearby, and had stood up when MacGyver had collapsed. They quickly approached Riley and helped her to lift the weight of Jack from the blond. Together they gently set Jack in the seat next to MacGyver while Riley hurried towards the cockpit. She stuck her head through the door, saying, "We need to get back to HQ ASAP."

The pilot nodded in acknowledgment. Riley withdrew her head and walked back towards her friends, her mind consumed with worry for the two men. When she arrived back at their seats, she was greeted with the sight of the marines pulling the two unconscious men's shirts off their torsos. She opened her mouth to ask why they were doing that but sucked in a breath of air in shock when she saw her friends' backs. They were both covered with bruises, along with a few minor burns. The older marine looked up at her, saying as she approached, "We noticed they were uncomfortable while resting on their backs. Turns out that explosion they set off happened a bit too near them for comfort."

Riley rubbed at her temple, a headache beginning to grow begin her eyes. "How did they keep going?"

The younger marine answered this, shrugging. "Adrenaline is a powerful painkiller."

Riley sighed. That made sense.

They reached the Phoenix Foundation's HQ without further trouble. Jack and MacGyver had woken up a few more times, but each time had passed out again rather quickly, as the pain from their injuries had overwhelmed them.

There was a team of doctors waiting by the landing pad, as well as two gurneys. The men were transported to the gurneys, laid on their stomachs, and rushed off. Riley watched them go, clutching her computer in worry. She heard the click of heels behind her and turned to see Patricia walk up to her. The taller woman rested a hand on her shoulder reassuringly. "They'll be fine. I've seen both of them come back from a mission in worse shape before; don't worry."

Riley felt some of the worry that was gnawing at her dissipate and allowed herself to be lead inside by the older woman. She was quickly debriefed, and then both women left to sit vigil at the bedsides of their friends.

MacGyver woke to pain in his ribs and on the skin of his back. He twitched, groaning slightly when the movement aggravated the skin on his back, but was soothed by a hand resting on his hair. He heard the familiar voice of Riley say, "It's okay, Mac."

Her comforting voice was drowned out, however, by Jack's deeper timbre."Finally up, huh, Mac?"

MacGyver groaned again. "What happened?"

This time it was Thornton's voice that spoke. "The two of you cracked your ribs and suffered minor burns on your backs. You broke one rib as well, while Jack only cracked his."

Jack laughed painfully. "Told you- I'd race you. Looks like I won, huh?"

MacGyver groaned, keeping his eyes shut. "Ugh."

Jack laughed again but stopped with a painful wheezing noise. There was a slight creak as the door opened and a doctor entered. "I see the patients are awake. How are they feeling?"

MacGyver finally cracked open an eye to take in his surroundings. He was in a typical hospital room, with Riley sitting next to his bed and Thornton next to Jack's. The doctor was standing over him. MacGyver, feeling strangely light, mumbled, "Hr'ts."

The doctor nodded. "Unsurprising. I'm going to just look at one thing- Ah, here we go."

The blond felt a cool rushing in his veins. He smiled faintly as his eyes slid shut, knowing that he would be taken care of.