Chapter Six Jack's Kid

Mac' house...

Where everyone goes to hang out...

One of the most important lessons you can learn as an agent and operative is the ability to trust your instincts. Some scientists believe that your instincts are really your subconscious mid spotting something your conscious mind has not. Some people believe that they are really messages from your soul or a high power. Either way, when you are as well trained as Jack and I are, you know that your instincts can save your life. They can drive you up the wall.

As Jack walked up the path towards Mac's house he tried to think about how he would approach this subject. He knew that there was something wrong with his kid. His instincts told him that much and that it was in some way connected to his father. He'd tried to believe that everything was fine and dandy, but he couldn't shake that niggling feeling in his gut. And as his Pops used to say when in doubt listen to your gut, it is right more often than either your heart or your brain.

Jack rang the bell practising what he would say when they got there. I know I said I wanted you to talk with your old man but… no that wouldn't work. It's not that I don't trust you… no definitely not. I just want you to be all right. You're my kid and…

Bozer opened the door. His face flashed briefly with surprise before he covered it and greeted Jack with a smile.

"Jack! Come in. What can I do for you?" Bozer inquired opening the door and allowing his friend to enter the house.

"As they say in the movies, it's more of a question of what I can do for you. Or rather, what I can do for Mac. Where is he?" Jack answered.

"He went to speak to his Dad," Bozer informed him.

Jack followed Bozer to the front room where the younger man offered him a bowl of nachos. He politely declined the offer, still hung up on what he had just been told. Mac had gone to see his dad? Something didn't not sit right with him about that.

"Mac went to see Oversight? At the foundation?" Jack demanded purposely using the man's job title rather than his parental one as a way of distancing Mac from James. It wasn't like he hard that title anyway especially with the way he insisted Mac call him 'sir' all the time.

"No at his home," Bozer replied.

Jack searched the answer for any signs of sarcasm. When he didn't find any, his forehead furrowed.

"Wait. What? When was this?"

"About an hour or so ago. He should be back soon."

"But is he ok? What was it about?"

"He's fine and I don't know. Will you chill out? I thought you would be happy they're talking. You were the one that suggested that they reconcile." Bozer pointed out. In all honestly, he thought that Jack was overreacting. Sure, his friend's father wasn't the warmest of people and he was one of the last he'd expect to hug Mac but that didn't mean that he was in any danger.

"I know, it's just, there's something wrong. Maybe I was wrong to push Mac into speaking to his Dad again." Jack wondered out loud a little guiltily.

"What do you mean? I thought you said that he was the only dad Mac had and so he should try and have a relationship with him."

"That shiner he had yesterday is the second time Mac's been injured outside of work since his Dad returned. First, his cheek is bruised. He says he walked into a door after speaking to his Dad. Then he gets a black eye which he freely admits is by his father's hand." Jack tells Bozer explaining his concerns. He was pretty happy that Bozer was here. It meant that Jack could talk to him and get his opinion.

"What you mean, you think that Mac's dad's hurting him?" Bozer questioned.

"I don't know not for sure. That's why I came here to talk to Mac and to find out."

"Well, I'm sorry. Mac should be home soon. You can wait here if you like."

"Thanks, Boze. I thought that maybe I could talk to you while we wait. You know Mac better than any of us. You knew him when he was a kid. What was Mac's Dad like then?"

"Well." Bozer thought back to when they were both kids growing up in Mission City. "Mac's dad was always strict. He was forever getting up in Mac's gear about everything. He was hypercritical about everything. I expect that that's why Mac's such a protectionist because his dad always expected that from him."

Jack thought that made sense. He had seen Oversights unrealistic expectations himself and he'd seen how Mac always expected perfection from himself. When he was in the Sandbox he always took his failures hard. Back then he thought it was just because he was in a war zone and making mistakes often cost lives but then he realised Mac was like that all the time. It had taken Jack a while to change that mentality so that he wouldn't take his failures to heart all the time. That could end up getting you killed too. Mac still had issues with that now, but it was bad as when they first met.

"Did you ever see anything that might have made you suspect his dad ever hit him?" Jack inquired.

"Well no. I mean, I was just a kid back then too, so I didn't think that that was a possibility. He often had a lot of bruises and cuts but whether they were from childhood misadventure, and believe me we had a lot of those, or if there was something more sinister going on I couldn't say. You have to believe me Jack that if had seen anything I would have spoken to someone, my parents or a teacher."

Of course, Bozer know. It would have been hard to spot anything if James had been the usual brute, but he was CIA. He would have been trained in covering his tracks and intimidation tactics.

"I know you would have told someone. You wouldn't have let Mac be hurt. I mean you only have to listen to your Donnie story to know that." Jack insisted eagerly to reassure Bozer that he never thought he would do anything that might harm Mac. They were close, like brothers even then. He would protect Mac even if it meant sharing a secret.

"I did tell my parents about how Mac's dad was always telling him off, but they just said that his dad was overprotective and dad over his mom's death. When his dad left his grandfather had to go upstate to sort a few things out before took Mac in, so he lived with us for a few weeks. He was a little jumpy, but dad was a cop and his mom had just died so I didn't think anything of it. So now that I think back to it there were a few alarm bells."

"I see," Jack stated. He took in everything that Bozer had told him and starting walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To Oversight's. I'm pretty sure now that his dad used to hit him and he's probably still doing it." Jack explained taking the keys for the GTO out of his pocket.

He didn't need to though because at that moment the sound of keys in a lock sounded and the door opened. Mac stood in the doorway, tears down his face and clearly in pain. He startled when he spotted Jack and tried hard to hide all signs of his distress. Bozer had barely got out a greeting before Mac pushed past them and ran to his room, closing his door with a slam.

Jack shot Bozer a glance before he took off after his kid and charged down the hallway. Clearly, something had happened, or Mac wouldn't be that upset. It wasn't a coincidence that this was on the back of his visit to his father. And wait a second. Since when did Mac carry a gun? Jack hadn't spotted it at first but there it was. Mac hated guns because their purpose was to hurt people.

"Mac! Kid! Let me in!" Jack begged, banging on the door. "Please kid you're making me worried here!"

Finally, the door swung opened to reveal a tear-stained Mac. His eyes were red. Jack's heart ached at the sight of his kid like that and resolved to beat up Oversight for daring to hurt his kid. That wasn't something he took likely. Even if he hadn't laid a hand on Mac, it didn't matter. There was more than one way to hurt someone that by hitting them. Jack longed to pull the kid into a hug but decided to let Mac speak first. Experience told him that that was more effective.

The thing is with guns, is that they hurt. That is their purpose and without dismantling them and turning them into something else, that's all they do. In our line of work, sometimes it is necessary to hurt people, that's just the truth in the matter. However, guns rip a hole in flesh and cause an ever-growing path of destruction in its wake. That's why I prefer to leave guns to Jack. I can defend myself using hand to hand and when that doesn't work, I improvise.

"What happened Mac? Why are you carrying a gun?" Jack asked deciding to deal with that issue first.

"I thought that you would be happy. You're always complaining about saving my ass."

Ok so apparently Mac had taken Jack's grumbles to heart. He never meant any of it of course. He willingly runs into a burning building to keep Mac safe even if that burning building had been set alight by Mac himself. Mac was his kid; he would hesitate to put his life on the line for his family.

"One I was never serious when I was complaining, I never mind saving you Mac. I would do it ten times over if it means keeping you safe. Two, I would only be happy if you were. I respect your dislike of guns and I would never make you wear one. If you decided that that's what you wanted to do then that's different."

"Sorry."

The apology was quiet and weak. That was enough for Jack. He charged forward, ignoring the flinch it caused and pulled his kid into a large hug. What he didn't count on was the loud yelp of pain that it caused. Immediately, he was on edge and his lip tightened.

"You're in pain." Jack observed.

"I'm fine." Mac lied though he knew that there was little point in denying it. Once Jack had clocked something there was no change in getting him to forget about. He was a stubborn as a mule when he wanted to and right now he wanted to.

"You ain't fine Mac and I ain't stupid. Now, take that shirt off." Jack ordered.

"What?!" Mac shouted. It reminded him too many times of his father when he's ordered the same thing. His eyes briefly wavered down to Jack's belt, not that he'd ever think that he'd ever use it on him.

"Mac." Jack's tone was serious, but it wasn't harsh. It was more pleading then anything. Like he needed Mac to do this but wasn't going force him to comply.

Mac felt that he owed Jack that much at least. Of all of the times he had saved him or helped him he owed Jack to comply with his orders. But that didn't meant he wanted to. He knew there was would be going back after he took his shirt off and showed him his back. Would Jack be angry at him? Would he think Mac was weak for crying after a simple beating? Would he think Mac deserved it?

Slowly Mac, took his shirt off, wincing as it hit is the welts on his back. The bruising on his ribs was a bluey green colour. Jack's eyes widen and he saw, and his glare turned to steel as he watched Mac turn around. On Mac's back were several welts that clearly had be made with a belt.

"What the hell? I'm going to kill him!" Jack promised.

"Please Jack! Don't be mad." Mac begged.

Jack arched his eyebrows at Mac. Did Mac think he was angry at him? He was pretty pissed but he wasn't pissed at Mac. How could he? Jack could never be angry at Mac for long when the kid was at fault. It would be like being angry at a little Golden Retriever puppy. This, however, wasn't in no way Mac's fault. Jack opened his mouth to reassure Mac of this when the kid was speaking again.

"I told him that I didn't want to carry a gun. I tried to get away, but he grabbed my arm and push me down. I should have known better then to argue with him, so I guess I deserv-"

"No." Jack assured adamantly "You most definitely did not deserve it, not a kid and not now. I'll kick his ass for making you think that and for hurting you."

"As a kid?"

"Are you trying to tell me he didn't do this when you were a child?" Jack asked a little glimmer of hope rising him. It was snatched away from it at the next thing he said.

"Of course, he did. I mean I was a pretty bad kid back then and he was just helping me. It was just discipline."

"No Mac it was abuse." Jack corrected. It was clear that Mac thought his father's treatment of him was both normal and warranted. It was neither. He would work hard to change that. "And I refuse to believe that you were a bad kid because I know you were not. There's no such thing and if you were my son I would have made you see that. You were a good kid. You still are. There is no reason that would ever make it ok for him to hit you."

Jack can't say his dad never punished him physically. It was a different time back than and it was only when Jack really pushed the limits. Even then it had never been more than a dozen swats or do delivered by nothing more than a hand. There was a difference between what Jack had experienced and what Mac had. Even what Jack experienced would be a taboo subject and he knew that if he'd had kid right now he'd wouldn't even do that.

"But what if I-"

"No. Reason." Jack reminded.

Mac looked down. Right now, he seemed so vulnerable and while Jack wanted to deal with James right the hell now, his kid came first always. Jack's need to tear Oversight to shreds right now was overweight by Mac's need to be comforted and to have his injuries treated.

"Are you sure?" Mac begged.

His kid's voice stabbed at his heart. He seemed so damn hopeful so damn hurt and so damn vulnerable.

"Of course, I'm sure kiddo. Now lie down while I sort out these welts. I'll get you something for the pain." Jack turned as Mac lied down face down on his bed. Just before he got to the door, Mac cried out.

"Jack! Don't tell anyone. I just can't deal with it yet."

"Of course, Mac but they're going to find out sooner or later. You know that they wouldn't blame you right?"

Mac shook his head. That wasn't why he had told Jack to stay silent.

"That's not what I'm worried about. I don't want their pity."

"Oh Mac." Jack comforted. "Everything's going to be alright. I will make sure of that."

After a few seconds of which there had been so reply from the blonde, Jack left him. He went off to the kitchen to where the first aid kit was held. At Bozer's questioning look he shook his head. Mac wanted this to be kept quiet for now and while he was going to deal with Oversight pretty loudly, for now at least he could respect Mac's wishes.

"He's going to be fine." Jack reassured seeing the panic in the younger man's eyes. He didn't elaborate though. He didn't need to right now in order to help Mac because he was going to be ok. He was going to make sure of that even if it killed him. Or if he had to kill to do it and he knew exactly who would be first on that list. First though, he had kid to look after.

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