A/N - Hey guys. Sorry it's been a couple of days. I've been working my backside off getting ready for the school year to start. I've also got a miserable virus of the apocalyptic variety and I feel like hammered crap. As a result this is a fairly short chapter that's honestly mostly fluff right up until the last line. I've got a book I've got to get edited by the weekend so I may not get another chapter up here for a few days. I hope there aren't too many mistakes here. If there are, I blame being feverish and drunk on NyQuil and I'll fix them when my immune system gets off it's metaphorical ass and kicks this bug out of my body. In the mean time, enjoy. There's action and whumpage to come soon, I promise. ~ J

"Jack," Mac put his hand on his friend's arm. "Jack, buddy." This time he shook him.

Jack groaned and rolled over on the couch, away from Mac, who was now smirking slightly.

"It's almost noon, Jack. And the coffee is getting … viscous. You gonna get up, or should I just dump it?"

"Mmmm." He cracked one eye open. Mac looked irritatingly well rested. In fact, he looked the sort of decent sleep, post-run, good breakfast, I've been up for hours sort of well rested that no self-respecting best man had any right to look the morning after the big event. Jack mumbled something to that effect, scrubbing his hands over his stubbly face. Then he grumbled, "Viscous?"

Mac chuckled. "I'm kidding. I brewed you a fresh pot."

Jack sat up slowly. "You drank a whole pot of coffee?"

"No. I shared a whole pot of coffee. Hours ago."

Jack's eyebrows climbed almost to his hairline. "Well, well, well. I was about to say you look much to fresh to have properly enjoyed the benefits of the offices of Best Manhood, but clearly I would have been mistaken."

Mac smacked him on the shoulder on his way past. "She came over for breakfast before work, Jackass."

Jack shook his aching head, but smiled as he got to his feet, following Mac to the kitchen. "Ever the gentleman."

"Or, you know, the adult," Mac said, throwing shade just as hard as he could, but with a could natured tilt to his head.

"I have got better than two decades on you and …"

"And eventually, that'll matter," Mac grinned. "You want some breakfast?"

Jack's expression answered clearly that he didn't want a damned thing, but he said, "I should probably eat something."

Mac shook his head, trying not to laugh but failing as he got out a frying pan and the carton of eggs. "I'll make you eggs."

"Oh, Mac, I dunno, man …"

"Jack, the cysteine in eggs helps break down the acetaldehyde more quickly."

"The what?"

"Acetaldehyde is a byproduct of alcohol metabolism. It's why you feel like garbage. And cysteine is a protein found in egg yolk that helps you get rid of it. I've explained this before."

"I don't remember that. Hell, I don't know if I remember comin' home last night." He rested his head on one hand.

"How much champagne did you guys drink? Jesus. You look like you're gonna die on me."

"Matty had a bottle of raspberry Stoli and we just mixed …"

"Ugh. No. I don't want to know how you ruined perfectly good champagne. By getting way too wasted. With our boss. I hope she's still speaking to us on Monday."

"Hey now, Matty and I are on very good terms right now."

Mac smiled over his shoulder at Jack as he cracked a couple of eggs into the hot pan. "I can imagine. Have you heard from Sarah about what she's decided ..?"

Jack shook his head, but his train of pleasant thoughts was overcoming his hangover as he sipped his coffee. "Nah, but Matty's pretty sure she's on board."

Mac put a plate full of eggs and buttered toast in front of Jack and got himself another cup of coffee, joining him at the counter. Mac had talked with Matty after Jack came home and told him about the job offer. He'd been a little upset with Matty at the time. As far as Mac was concerned Sarah was a married woman who was trying to work things out with her husband and Jack was trying to respect that despite still being madly in love with her and Matty putting the two of them into the workplace together just seemed like a recipe for trouble. Matty assuaged his concerns saying she didn't want him to say anything to Jack, because Sarah didn't know yet, but a source of hers inside the Agency knew Sarah's husband was about to file for divorce. Matty felt she was just greasing the wheels for two old and dear friends to be happy. And she was padding her bench so her organization would be as successful as possible. If he didn't mind. She'd glared at him, but he could tell she understood his concern. He was glad he didn't have to bring that up to Jack now. Even hung over the man looked so happy at the prospect of Sarah and little Fred moving to town, it was like he was dreaming awake.

Finally, he said, "That's good. I like working with Sarah. She and Matty will be good for Ops, I think."

Jack grinned. "Yeah," he said wistfully. He wasn't paying any attention at all.

Mac shook his head and just finished his coffee. He checked his watch. "Hey, we should probably return the tuxes. You up for a drive or you want me to take care of it?" Mac looked at his watch again.

Jack raised an eyebrow at him. "What're you in such a hurry for? We've got until five."

Mac grinned at him a little sheepishly. "I was just thinking if we went now, we could stop by Phoenix for a minute. It's been two weeks and I wanted to check my in-box and stuff so Monday isn't a total surprise and everything."

"We could do that later, too," Jack said, a knowing smirk starting to spread.

"Yeah, of course. Sure. We could wait." Mac busied himself with a coffee refill he didn't really want.

Jack grinned now. "Or you could go return the tuxes now, and meet up with a certain mean bossy nurse we both know and maybe buy her some lunch."

Mac knew he was maybe blushing slightly, but found he really didn't mind. "She's not really mean and bossy Jack. She's just really passionate about her job."

"I am so gonna tell her you said so." Jack got out his phone.

"Wait. No. Don't tell her that." Jack just grinned. "Jack." Mac glared. And he almost meant it.

Jack tossed his phone on the counter and headed back over to the couch. "Your secret is safe with me, Loverboy. Us old folks are gonna have a nap while you go get your nerd flirt on."

"You just got up twenty minutes ago."

"And?"

"Nothing. I'll adult for both of us today."

Jack pulled the blanket back over himself and settled back in, grateful that the headache he'd had when he'd first gotten up had started to back off, along with the oily feeling in his stomach. Maybe Mac was right about that formaldehyde stuff.

By the time Mac had gathered the tuxes, Jack was snoring on the couch. He didn't even twitch when Mac closed the door.

He didn't stir when the door was opened about ten minutes later either.

Dun, dun, dun ...