AN:

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Chapter 3

„No, no … need to fix it … must get Jack out of the cold … too long … freeze … Jack's more important than my stupid watch …" Mac had been mumbling for some time and at first Jack hadn't been able to understand the slurred speach. But then the words became clearer and suddenly the Delta knew that Mac was reliving a mission, where they had been out in the cold until Mac was able to build a radio from chunk.

Jack changed the already warm cloth on the blonds forehead and muttered. „It's ok Mac. You got us out of there. Only a few more hours and we can leave and get you help. Just hold on a little longer hoss."

Suddenly Macs eyelids fluttered and fever glazed eyes met Jacks concerned ones. „Hey, there you are buddy. How you feelin'?" Jack drawled and held a cup to the blonds mouth. So far he had only been able to trickle small amounts of water into him and he was concerned about his friend getting dehydrated. Mac managed half a cup and fell back onto the cushion.

Puzzled he asked. „Wha' happen'?"

Jack knew it was the fever that caused his partners confusion, but he couldn't silence the voice of panic that asked: Was the fever so high, it caused brain damage? The Delta had no way to take Macs temperature, but he knew it was bordering on 104.

Jack took a deep breath and explained. „We're stuck here because of a fucking snow storm. You fell down and couldn't get up. You're running a pretty good fever hoss."

The blond shivered and pulled the blanket tighter around his body. „S'cold." He didn't seem to be able to process much of Jacks words and his eyes were closing again.

„It's ok Mac. I've got you. Rest buddy. We'll be out of here soon." At least that's what Jack hoped. The update he had gotten from Riley hadn't been encouraging. It might be even longer until they would be rescued.

The Delta removed the blanket and wiped down Macs body with cold water. The blond was whimpering and shivering and Jack hated himself for making his best friend even more uncomfortable. His hip radiated heat and Jack decided to wrap some snow in a towel and put it on it. After that he stood up to get more snow. On the stove a pot with coffee was ready and Jack poured himself a cup and ate a protein bar. He didn't feel like eating, but he needed to keep his strength up for Mac.

The Deltas eyes were fixed on his partner. His face was pale apart from his fever flushed cheeks. His lips were moving and soon the mumbling started again. Incoherent words, only interrupted by cries of No! Jack! and similar syllables, that told Jack Mac was caught in bad memories again. He sat down and gathered his partner in his arms, careful not to disturb the snowpack on Macs hip. Jack cleared his throat and started singing a Willie Nelson song. At least the blond seemed to calm down then.

Jack didn't want to risk to raise Macs fever by staying so close for too long and adding body heat, so he gently laid the blond down after a while. For the moment his partner seemed to rest more peacefully. Jack stroked Macs blond bangs from hanging into his eyes and felt a wave of affection and guilt wash over him. He would do anything for the kid. A long time ago in the sandbox Jack was not prepared, when he developed feelings for the blond. The role of Mac changed from annoying EOD tech to brother in only a matter of weeks. Jack had always taken his role as overwatch seriously, but the urge to protect was suddenly taken to a whole other level. It was the desperate kind of protective instinct that made a mother bear take on all risks to keep her cubs safe. Jack had had his hands full, because Mac totally lacked any kind of self-preservation. But that's how Mac was. Kind, caring, always placing everbody else first. Jack had no idea how the blond had made it to this point without getting killed, but he vowed that from then on it would be his job to watch over the skinny bomb nerd. His feelings towards Mac shifted again, from brother to son. Sometimes Jack was almost overwhelmed by his protectiveness and had to refrain

Parting ways with Mac after Afghanistan was simply not an option. Looking out for the blond had become second nature to Jack, like the instinct to reach for his gun when he woke up. It wasn't only keeping Mac from getting hurt on a mission. No, often it was stopping Mac from becoming his own worst enemy. Every failed mission, every person they weren't able to safe was weighing heavily on him. The blond always pushed himself to be better and think faster and when that wasn't enough he turned on himself and punished himself. It was Jacks job to stop the blond from getting lost in his big brain and make him see reason. Mac trusted Jack without a doubt and only the Delta was able to get through the walls around the blonds soul. Jack knew, what a gift that was and so he would do anything to protect his friend. He was so invested, that he always took it personally when Mac was injured. For example Jack threw out his rickety barstool, a prop from a Clint Eastwood western he was proud to own, after Mac fell off and sprained his wrist. Most often the Delta was able to fight the threats against his partner with his gun or his fists, but this? How do you fight an enemy you can't even see?

„Damn bacteria. Nasty little fuckers who sneek up on you and kick you in the ass, when you least expect it." Jack mumbled and started to wipe Macs fevered brow for the umpteenth time. He vowed to brush up his first aid skills with Doc Ward as soon as this was over and Mac was back on his feet. Obviously he had done something wrong or they wouldn't be in this situation.

„I'm sorry Mac. I'll take better care of you, I promise. God, I would trade places with you if I could. I let you down and now you have to suffer, because I didn't do my fucking job." Jack was angry. Angry at himself, angry at the weather, angry at Siberia and most of all angry at these fucking germs, that were making his partner so ill.

The Delta got up and poured himself another cup of coffee. He allowed himself a few minutes and rested his head on his arms on the table. But he couldn't get his mind to slow down the avalanche of feelings. Worry, guilt, anger and most of all naked fear were fighting for the upper hand and he felt himself slipping into a panic attack. His breathing sped up and Jack knew it wouldn't be long until he was on the verge of passing out, if he wasn't able to get a hold on his feelings. With a desperate hiss he banged his head hard against the wood of the table and the sharp pain that shot through his forehead did the trick and brought him back to the present. Gently he felt along his head and couldn't prevent a grunt when he touched the area of impact. He pulled back his fingers. No blood, but he could already feel a bruise forming. It didn't matter. Mac needed him and this had been neccessary to keep him from losing his shit.

Jack stood up and wobbled when a wave of dizziness washed over him. His hands found the edge of the table and held on tightly until everything around him settled down again. He walked over and sat back down on the bed beside Mac. The blond seemed calm and Jack reached out to gouge his fever again. With a curse he pulled his hand back. „Damn hoss, you're even hotter now."

Something was happening with Mac and Jack thought at first that the blond was waking up again, because his eyes were opening a bit. His partners body went rigid all of a sudden, his eyes rolled back into his head until only white was visible. His limbs started to jerk uncontrollably and his whole body was seizing.

„No, no, no, no, no. Stop this Mac. Fuck, fuck, fuck." A wave of adrenaline rushed through Jacks body and he grabbed a pen, pried open Macs mouth with gentle force and shoved it between his teeth to prevent his partner from biting through his tongue. Carefully he held his partner only tight enough to keep him from injuring himself further. The Delta had started mumbling soothing words while his friend was thrashing around. „Try to relax buddy. It'll pass soon. Concentrate on my voice. I'm here. I've got you hoss. You're going to be ok." Finally after three endless minutes the seizure lessend and finally stopped. Macs taut body went limp suddenly and Jack panicked that the blond might have stopped breathing altogether. The Delta sighed relieved when he felt the thrumming of Macs erratic pulse under his fingers. Only now Jack registered that there were voices in his ear. Matty demanded a sitrep, while Doc Ward urged him to keep calm and talk to them.

The Delta cleared his throat, but his voice was hoarse with emotion anyway when he spoke. „Sorry guys, I'm here. I was just … a bit busy right now."

„What the hell happened Dalton?" Matty snapped, but Jack knew she only was worried.

„Mac was … he had a seizure." Jack had to gulp. Speaking it out loud made it somehow more real and he knew that the image of his best friends twitching body was for ever burned into his soul. His unconscious mind would probably appreciate some new nightmare fuel.

„How long did it last?" Doc Wards calm voice felt like balm on Jacks raw feelings.

„Three minutes. Mac's even hotter now. I thought about packing his whole body in snow. What do you think Jacob?" Jack felt the adrenaline leave his body slowly and suddenly he was bone tired.

„Absolutely Jack. This is the only option now. His fever is probably beyond 104° and you need to bring it down quickly to prevent him from having another seizure." The physician advised.

„On it Doc. Any change in the weather forecast?" Jack wanted to know.

This time Riley answered. Her voice sounded strained and Jack knew it was hard on his girl not to be able to do much to help them.

„About the same. You have to hang on for another three hours Jack."

„Thanks for the intel sweetheart. I'm off coms now. I've got work to do." Jack grabbed several pots and filled them with snow. He removed Macs underwear and mumbled an apology. „Sorry for invading your privacy buddy, but you don't want to wear wet pants when we get out of here. And it isn't as if I hadn't seen it before." The time in the Army had cured every man of being coy, but to Jack it felt horribly wrong to do this to his partner while he was unconscious. He grabbed a towel and covered Macs private parts, both to protect them from the biting cold and restore some kind of decency. „Wouldn't want to freeze off your family jewels." The Delta uttered and covered the rest of Macs body in a thick layer of snow. The cold made Jacks hands start to hurt and he felt another wave of guilt wash over him, when he imagined that it must feel ten times worse on Macs overheated body. His fear was confirmed when the blond started whimpering and squirming on the bed. Trying to move away from the biting cold, but being too weak to do more than twitch.

If Jack would be granted a wish, he would ask for deleting the next hour from his memory. Macs screams for help, whimpers to stop doing this to him and cries for Jack to save him were the worst kind of torture the Delta had ever experienced in his whole life. It cost him every ounce of strength not to give in to the blonds pleeding. Macs voice had gone hoarse with all the screaming and crying. Jack wasn't doing much better. His mouth was dry and his throat scratchy from constantly uttering words of comfort. He didn't even know, if they penetrated Macs fevered mind, but he wouldn't stop the steady stream of reassurances. Anything that would help Mac feel better.

Finally all he snow had melted around his partners body. The blond was still shivering, but for now he was silent. Jack laid out their thick winter gear on the floor and transfered the blond onto it. With quick efficient movements the Delta stripped the bed and covered it with a fresh sheet. Then he toweled his friend dry and moved him back onto the bed. Jack dressed Mac back in his underwear and let out a relieved sigh, when his partner didn't wake up during it. At least he could spare the blond this embarrassing detail. After covering Mac with the blanket, Jack reached out and felt the blonds brow that seemed to be cooler.

„Damn hoss, you took at least another five years from me today. I can literally feel my hair going grey." Jack muttered and was startled, when a weak voice answered him.

„S'ry"

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