Chapter 10 – Coming Home

Hey! This chapter is about Jo and Don taking Mac home from the hospital. I'm not really keen on this chapter and I'm gonna try and make sure the next chapter has some fluffy-ness in it, cause I love Mac and Jo together and I haven't written enough of it like I first intended! I'm planning on moving on a bit faster with Mac's recovery and only writing about the major parts and not dragging it out too much. I'm also about to start writing a bit of an AU fic for Mac, Jo and a couple of OC that's been whizzing around in my head for the past couple of days! I'm not giving up on this though if I don't post very fast again as the next three days are my birthday weekend and then Wednesday I've got my first day in year 10. As a result I may have loads of homework but I'll try to update whenever I can. Disclaimer: I own nothing. Please R&R! Beth x

It had been a week since the incident and Mac had awoken in the hospital. The team had visited every day after their shifts and Jo had only left two times after Don had literally had to drag her out. When she had been forced to leave she had gone over to Mac's apartment and collected him clothes so he wasn't stuck in the stuff the hospital had given him. It had been a very busy week for the team as well as a slow one for Mac. He'd had therapy on his lower back meaning that he could start the physical therapy soon. He'd also gotten slightly stronger above the waist and the normal Mac Taylor was starting to return. He and Jo had been shown what to do when he needed to move, by nurses, and Don had also taken a quick crash-course so that he could help the two of them. Even though Mac had seen this when Danny had been injured he still couldn't get over how well his team pulled together when one of them was injured.

Mac was sat on the edge of his bed, legs dangling to the floor without feeling. He was wearing a pair of baggy dark denim jeans, which had been moderately destroyed, with a tight fitting black undershirt. He was just staring at his legs, willing his toes to move. He wanted to scream in frustration but knew this wasn't the place for that. He was broken away from his frustration as the door swung open and Jo came in, with a bounce in her step. She had a cheeky smile on her face and was holding some papers on a clip board in her well-manicured hands. She wore skinny black jeans, her boots, and a white casual button-down shirt. Her make-up was light and her hair was scraped into a small pony-tail.

"Does this mean I can finally get out of here?" Mac asked, smile lighting up his face at the sight of her.

"Well, Detective Taylor, all you need to do is sign the papers and then you're mine!"

"Pass them over then… I don't mind being yours." He replied with a smirk and a sly wink to which Jo just laughed and passed the papers and pen.

A couple of minutes later when Mac was just signing on the last line his doctor and Don walked in with a wheelchair. Mac passed the papers to the doctor and looked at Don, giving him a curious look with raised eyebrows.

"What? Just thought you and Jo could do with a lift… and I kinda need to pick up my bags from Jo's." He added sheepishly.

"I still can't believe you slept on my couch for a week and looked after my kids, Don. I told you I could have called Russ…"

"But Jo… we aren't big fans of Russ, so it was the least I could do. They're good kids anyway."

"Okay, are you two ready to get going? I want you both to try and do this without any of our help, 'cause it's going to be just you two for a while now…" Both Mac and Jo nodded at the doctor's orders and began the routine for getting Mac in the wheelchair. Jo brought it up to the side of the bed and put the locks on. Mac slightly shifted as Jo came to help him lift a little of his weight. He placed his hands on the arms of the chair and made a quick move into the seat whilst Jo assisted. Although his strength had built he wasn't quite as strong as before yet, so Jo helped lift him each time a little. He then grabbed his legs by his jeans and put them in place. The two looked up at the doctor who had watched them and he nodded his head approvingly.

"You're a fast learner, Detective Taylor, and with Detective Danville here I'm sure you'll make progress very quickly and soon become independent again." Mac just nodded, the fact that they still were clueless about whether he would walk again or not.

Jo kicked off the breaks and they made their way down to the exit where Flack's car was parked. The doctor followed them out to ensure they could manage this. He wouldn't be able to get into any trucks or SUVs for a while, unless someone lifted him, so Jo was going to have a car swap with Flack until further notice. They repeated the same procedure and he was safely inside the front passenger seat. Jo folded up the chair and placed it in the boot. They waved goodbye to the doctor and drove off to Jo's apartment.

They had been driving for about 10 minutes when Flack broke the silence. "Sinclair talked to you yet?"

Mac sighed before answering. "I've got a meeting with him next week. I'm officially off on paid sick leave for the next week and then he wants to see me after my first therapy session; see how it's going, the chances, what they say about me returning. For now, the only work I have to do is sign some reports that Danny and Jo will be writing and checking."

"Your signature's that important? I didn't know you were going back, Jo."

"Not fully. I have to go in for three hours every afternoon to make sure Danny and Lindsay are okay and to do a little supervising, collect files, write reports, the occasional crime scene. If I had it my way, I wouldn't be going back until Mac was cleared to live by himself, but y'know Sinclair… apparently the supervisor and his second in command can't both be out."

"Why do I have the feeling that Sinclair wasn't the only one telling you to work a little…" Flack laughed along with Jo as Mac feigned innocence.

"Who? Me… Never!" Mac also joined in with the laughter failing to act serious.

After a couple of minutes Don decided to bring up Mac's other injuries, genuinely worried that he would injure his wounds trying to do things by himself.

"The doc said that I only have to wear the sling for a couple of hours in the morning and overnight. I can lift myself with it…"

"…with help, remember!" Jo butted in from the back seat.

"Okay, okay, with help I can. I'm getting the stitches out when I go for my first therapy and then I shouldn't need to wear the sling unless I'm in pain." Flack shook his head in disbelief at how this man could still try and say that he was alright, resistant to help.

They pulled up outside of Jo's apartment building and Don and Jo climbed out to get Mac's wheelchair. They helped him in and Flack grabbed the duffel from the back seat which contained some more of Mac's clothes and toiletries. Jo pushed his chair inside of the building, the door being held open by the doorman who smiled and nodded his usual 'hellos'. They got in the first elevator that arrived and pressed button 3, for Jo's floor.

The ride up was quiet as all three were stuck in their thoughts and worries of what was going to happen over the next few months. The gentle ping announced their arrival on the correct floor and Jo pushed Mac out, Flack following. The reached for her keys and Don opened the door for her before closing and locking it behind them.

"Tyler! Ellie! We're home!" Jo shouted causing the TV to be turned down and the noise of two pairs of feet make their way to the entrance hallway. They both gave Jo a quick hug and hello before they turned to Mac and Don.

"How're you feelin', Detective Taylor?" Tyler asked after giving a nod to Don.

"I've been better, but I'm glad to get out of that hospital, so not bad. And just call me Mac… I've had that doctor being formal with me all week, your fine to call me by first name." Tyler nodded sheepishly and Jo gave him a pat on his arm.

"Right! Coffee anyone?" Jo asked as they all nodded and Don wheeled Mac into the living room.

"Hey, you wanna sit on the couch or what…? Need anything?"

"Don." Mac warned. "I'm fine, I'm still human. You don't have to treat me like I'm going to keel over any minute and die if you don't pay full attention to me. If I need something I'll let someone know. I hate doing it, but I know I need to ask. I've gotten used to it. I'm okay where I am at the moment, thanks." He said the last sentence on a softer note as he knew that the younger Detective was only trying to be helpful and a good friend.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." Don nodded and went to help Jo make the coffee.

As he entered the kitchen Don exhaled deeply and leant against the counter.

"He being stubborn again?" Jo queried.

"Not really. It's just… I don't know. I suppose it's just finally sunk in. Normally he'd have offered to help you get coffee, or make himself at home… but he's just sat in that sodding wheelchair not even being able to push himself around in it!" Don's voice was strained with emotion that he so desperately wanted to let go of, but knew he couldn't in Jo's kitchen, and the fact that he had to keep his voice down didn't help.

Jo simply squeezed his arm as she looked at him with sad eyes before speaking. "I know, Don, I know. Ever since I met him I knew I was falling in love with him, when we finally told each other I thought my life would become perfect…" She paused, shaking her head quickly swiping tears before they could fall. "I never expected that the beginning of our future together would start with him in a wheelchair. But here we are! You know what though… I wouldn't go back for the world. I finally have the man I love and I'm going to help him get back to what he was before, however long it takes. I love him, we have to do this."