Ok…. so sorry this has taken so long. Honestly SO SORRY. Thanks to everyone who has still stuck around considering I'm absolutely terrible at regular updates. You guys are the best.

Chapter 25

Riley stacked the cards and shuffled them as fluidly as she could with her cast, being careful not to drop the UNO deck on the floor again.

"I'm pretty sure the reason Mac keeps winning is because Riley can't shuffle the deck properly," Jack commented, motioning to the mess of cards Riley was mixing.

"Yeah, I don't think it's pure coincidence that Mac has gotten 5 pick up 4 cards each and every round we've played," Bozer added.

"Well, maybe one of you two would care to shuffle the cards then?" Riley suggested, handing the deck to Jack.

Jack took the deck, examined it, then attempted to shuffle. He only succeeded in dropping the cards all over the floor and managing to catch a few in his lap. Mac chuckled and shook his head.

"The fact that you can hit a moving target smaller than your fist in target practice but can't shuffle a deck of cards is something that will never cease to awe me," Mac said sarcastically. Jack sat up, collecting the cards on his lap.

"Different hand movements," he argued.

Riley snorted and reached out, allowing Jack to hand her the mess of cards. "Would Bozer care to try?"

"Unlike Jack, I'm gonna be a man and admit that I can't shuffle cards if my life depended on it. No thanks, Ri," Bozer replied, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back.

Jack's phone dinged and he pulled his cell from his pocket, tapping the screen.

"Matty's coming soon. They've got a room set up for Mac at Phoenix," he explained.

Mac scrunched his brow together. "I've been here for a while, why are they suddenly moving me to Phoenix?"

Jack bit his lip, then glanced at Riley who glanced at Bozer. They'd all agreed that no one was going to tell Mac about his memory lapses this time round. They were just going to play it cool and act like nothing happened. If anything, telling him was only going to stress Mac out more and set back his recovery.

"Well, I guess Matty finally clued in that security is better at Phoenix than here," Jack replied jokingly.

Mac eyed Jack curiously, sensing something off about his partner's response. After a couple moments of silence he shrugged, too tired to bother questioning the suspicious explanation.

"Talking of Matty, why hasn't she been around to visit? I mean, you guys have been keeping me great company and all… but I figured Matty would have come by sooner," Mac asked. He scrunched the thin hospital sheet between his fingers, knowing he probably shouldn't be offended but still feeling offended nonetheless. Matty was a busy woman, probably 10X busier now that she was chasing down Gabel and his goons. But he still figured she would've stopped by at least once.

There was another silence before Jack spoke up. "Matty's been by a couple times…" he began. Riley shot him a glare and Jack quickly cleared his throat. "But you were all drugged up so you probably don't remember much."

Mac frowned. "I don't remember anything." His tone was edgy— unbelieving.

"You were pretty drugged," Riley added, trying to reinforce Jack's poor attempt at a lie.

"And why would I be drugged up when I've literally been in the hospital for weeks trying to get de-drugged," Mac countered.

Bozer let out a nervous laugh. "They were good drugs… y'know? To counter the bad drugs…" Jack let a grimace cross his face as Mac raised his brow in sarcastic surprise. "Like medical stuff…" Bozer tried to plaster a smile on his face but it faltered— Mac already knew more about what Bozer was talking about than Bozer did himself. "Like stuff you probably know about…?"

Mac nodded. "I may have sucked at biology but I know enough to know that's not how it works Boze," Mac said. Then he shook his head laughing "You guys really suck at lying.

Jack stuck out his lower lip. "You're the one who makes it so hard."

"Sure. Ok." Mac wound the bed sheet in his fingers. "So, you guys gonna tell me what this really about?"

No one said anything. A few seconds passed, then a few minutes. Just as Mac was about to open his mouth to prompt his friends, Matty marched into the room.

"Phoenix transport is ready and so are the medical staff. You ready to go Blondie?"

Just so you all know, I promise that I'll finish the story. I know a few of you have voiced concerns that I won't finish (which are completely valid concerns!) and I can assure you that isn't the case. I haven't come this far just to give up :P. I started this fic and I'm going to see it through, it just might take a while. I've been dealing with a lot lately and so writing is usually one of the last things I ever think of in the day— if I even think of it at all. Thank you for your patience when it comes to the updates. Once again, you guys are the best!