Jack's heart broke at the soft whimper that came from his partner as the blonde moved his head. Tears dripped down the kid's face. He was ghastly pale. Jack brushed hair back from his sweaty face. He looked up at Doc Carl.

"What is going on? He was doing fine yesterday." Doc Carl frowned and shook his head.

"I'm not sure. Sally, can we give him more morphine?" Sally frowned tears glittering in her eyes. The others thought she looked like she was the one in agony.

"I've given him everything I have. I don't know what's wrong." Doc Carl itched his forehead at a loss.

"We have to do something!" Riley snarled. She sat on the bed at Mac's back rubbing his chest with soothing circles. Mac grabbed Jack's arms hard enough to leave a line of half-moon gouges.

"Jack...please!" Mac curled into a ball and ducked his head against Jack's knee as he bit his lip to keep from screaming. Jack rubbed a thumb over his brother's hand and rubbed Mac's shoulder.

"I know, brother. Just keep breathing."
"J-auhng!" Mac cried out. He reached up to his head. Jack caught his hand. Mac arched back eyes squinted shut. He rasped in air and squeezed Jack's hand hard enough Jack's fingers blanched and went numb. Jack shot Doc Carl a desperate look.

"Do something!" Doc Carl opened his mouth, but for the first time since Jack had known him, the young doctor was at a loss.

"I don-"

"I got her!" Bozer yelled. The others looked up in relief. Bozer came running in dragging Doc Carl's grandmother in his wake. Izzy's hair was up in curlers and she wore soft blue velvet slippers and a long fluffy robe. She pulled free of Bozer and stepped to Mac's bedside pulling a stethoscope out of her pocket. She shot Doc Carl a questioning glance. Doc Carl rattled into the whole story.

Izzy gently moved Jack out of her way while allowing Mac to maintain his hold on the older man. She put her smooth cool hand on his forehead and gently brushed his hair back. His blue eyes begged for help. The pulse at his temple thumped under her palm like a trapped rabbit and his breath puffed fast against her wrist.

"Shhh, Angus...shhh." She murmured.

"Hurts." His voice was weak and small. Instead of the almost thirty world class agent he looked like a frightened child in pain. Izzy patted his cheek and smoothed away his tears.

"It's ok...shhh...shhh." Mac's grip on Jack lessened. Jack shook his head. He'd seen the elderly doctor work miracles, and Izzy did not disappoint. Mac's breathing slowed and his body relaxed, a little. Izzy nodded and turned to face Doc Carl who finished his summary with the current labs and vitals. Izzy sat back and put on her stethoscope. She pushed curlers out of the way and leaned over Mac closing her eyes and listened.

She scooted closer and put a hand on Mac's shoulder.

"Easy...shhh...just take deep breaths, Angus...shhh…." She leaned over and rubbed his back. She glanced at Jack who nodded. Jack moved around her until he was closer to Mac and able to hold both his hands. Izzy circled the bed and leaned over. Everyone in the room braced themselves. Bozer turned away looking like he was going to puke. Riley brushed at tears running down her face. Jack started to babble.

Izzy glanced at Sally and Doc Carl. She spoke softly, her voice seemed to sooth the entire room with its calm confidence.

"Sally, you need to get oxygen set up, use a nonrebreather until we get him caught up, right?"

"Yes, Izzy." Sally turned and moved to complete the orders with the odd pace all medical workers acquired a sprint that looked like a bored stroll.

"Carl draw up a toradol/ versed IM-"
"But Gran, he's had-" Izzy silenced him with a single raised eyebrow.

"Yes, Gran. How-"

"Max it out," Doc Carl paused ready to argue with his grandmother, "Trust me. I'll explain after we get Angus settled down, ok?"

" 'course."
"Carl?" Doc Carl rolled his eyes.

"Yes, of course, Gran." He turned. Izzy shot Jack an amused glance.

"The training never ends does it, Jack?" Jack didn't answer. Izzy paused and put a hand on Jack's shoulder. He glared at her.

"We're-"

"Shhh...it's going to be ok, I promise." Jack let out a deep breath and nodded. Izzy smiled. Then sat side saddle on the bed at Mac's back.

"Izzy…"Mac pleased.

"Trust me, Angus." Mac closed his eyes and curled forward his body shaking with pain.

"Here, Gran." Doc Carl handed Izzy a shot. Jack's eyes widened as he saw the long fat syringe pass by. He looked at Izzy wide-eyed. Izzy chuckled.

"Jack, breathe." She said. He stared at her. Izzy hid the syringe from his view and shook his arm, "Jack! Breathe." Jack automatically sucked in air. Izzy nodded, "Don't look, we don't need you both out." Jack closed his eyes and squeezed Mac's hand. Izzy rubbed Mac's back gently and murmured soothingly as she uncapped the syringe.

She waited until Mac relaxed then in one smooth move jammed the syringe deep into his butt. Mac yelped in surprise. Izzy tossed the syringe in the bedside sharps box then bent over and turned to examine his head. As soon as her hands touched the back of his head Mac let loose a soul-breaking scream.

"Easy, easy. I'm sorry, I have to look." Izzy said her voice never losing its gentle calm. She nimbly pulled apart his hair and examined his scalp. The stitches had been taken out and the swelling was gone. The bruising had gone down, but was still easily seen. Izzy frowned as she gently felt under the skin.

"Jack!" Mac sobbed. Jack's eyelashes were wet as he leaned closer so Mac could hear him. Mac's entire body shook and sweat ran down his face. Izzy braced herself then pressed on Mac's scalp as hard as she dared. Mac arched back. His mouth hung open as he gasped for air. His skin lost any illusion of color. Izzy leaned back and nodded. Mac's eyes fuzzily darted around him looking for an escape route. Jack shifted his grip so he was holding Mac in place more than comforting him. Mac's breath was wild gasps.

"J...ca...hel...j…" Mac wheezed. Izzy looked up and nodded at Sally. Sally handed Jack an O2 mask. Jack gently put it over Mac's nose and mouth and held it in place. Izzy went back to rubbing Mac's back. The room sat silent except for Mac's groans of pain and Jack's soft murmurs of comfort. Mac's breathing slowed and his eyes grew heavy. When he finally went limp, everyone in the room let out a relieved breath.

"I think we can leave the dressing off. It's healing well." Izzy said frowning as a roller fell across her forehead. She twisted hair around it and tucked it up and reclipped it in midstep.

"Then what the hell was that!" Jack's voice may have been a low whisper but it snapped like a roar of anger. Izzy smiled not bothered by the younger man's anger or frustration.

"You forgot MacGyver is MacGyver." She said amusement in her still pond blue eyes.

"What do you mean?" Bozer asked sitting beside Mac's legs. Izzy crossed to the IV and opened the door. She pulled out the tubing and nodded.

"Oh, Angus." Her voice was part mirth and part pride. She untwisted the IV at Mac's wrist and pulled out the wet wad of cotton. The others gaped at each other then at Mac.

"That little shit!" Jack bellowed not caring if he woke Mac up or not. Riley took the IV and looked at it closer.

"He blocked the fluid from coming in and disabled the alarm."

"Son of a bitch!" Sally snarled. Everyone looked at her surprised. Sally swallowed.

"Sorry, Izzy." Izzy patted her shoulder.

"It's ok, Sally. This child can test anyone's patience, that's why we all love him, no?" The others stared at Mac, each once torn between anger and love for the lanky agent.

"What was he going to do?" Bozer asked, "I mean, we caught him trying to cut up his sheets to go out the window, almost up into the ceiling-"

"Trying to make a bomb out of yesterday's meatloaf and mentos." Riley added. Bozer nodded.

"And lets not forget what he did to Ted and Leo." Everyone stopped to feel pity for the poor disabled TAC agents, "They're demanding hazard pay from Matty."

"They deserve it...what he did with that urinal and the lightbulb-"

"Don't say it, Boze. I already have nightmares about it." Riley said squirming.

"I told dietary not to listen to him when he asked for cayenne pepper." Doc Carl said defensively.

"It's ok, dear. No one blames you." Izzy said patting the young doctor on the back.

"I still don't get why he stopped his pain medication." Bozer said, "Even Mac isn't stubborn enough to- Ok, nevermind." Jack sighed and brushed Mac's hair back from his pale sweaty face. Mac seemed to melt under his touch and looked as boneless as a cat on nip.

"I should have known he was up to something. He was too confused, I should have watched him closer."

"No, Jack, it's on me. I should have seen the fluids weren't running like they should."
"But I-"
"ALRIGHT!" Izzy said. Her voice snapped across the room, even though she didn't raise it.

"Let's all agree Mac was confused and was in mid-plan when he forgot. It was his doing, alright?"

"You're right, Gran. What do we do now?" Izzy's eyes twinkled.

"I think it's time we let Angus go home."

"We what now?" Jack asked.