Once Bitten, Twice Shy: Part 1
This chapter begins immediately post S1E16 – Hook.
"Alright Blondie, truth or dare." Matty asks.
"Um, let's go truth." Mac decides.
"Did you hurt yourself jumping out that window in San Fransisco last week and fail to report it?" Matty inquires bluntly.
"I, uh, why would you think that?" Mac stalls.
"That's not an answer." Matty demands.
Mac steals a glance at Jack who shrugs and looks away; Mac sighs and responds, "Yes."
"Details, Mac." Matty insists.
"Mmm, sorry, we're not on the clock and I answered the question truthfully. Now, it's Bozer's turn." Mac deflects.
"I think he has you on a technicality. You only asked if he injured himself, not what the injury was." Jack replies amused.
"Fine, I'll wait until your next turn." Matty concedes.
Jacks bursts out laughing, "Oh, you know he's going to go dare for the rest of the night, now."
"Then I'll wait until he is back on the clock. He can't hold out forever." Matty reminds.
Mac clears his throat, "So Bozer, truth or dare?"
Bozer steals a nervous glance at Matty and chooses, "Oh dare, definitely dare."
Mac coughs a little and shakes his head to ward off the sudden dizzy spell, then he smiles and tosses Bozer a small brown paper bag, "Alright, I dare you to take a bite out of one of those, hold it for 10 seconds, and swallow."
Bozer looks into the bag, "Oh hell no, those are Carolina Reaper peppers! Man, you couldn't see or taste for a week after this exact same dare! Truth, I pick truth!"
"What's the problem Boz, clearly Mac did this and lived to tell about it." Riley teases.
"Yeah, and he swore he'd never EVER do that again. Pure hell on steroids, that's how he described it!" Bozer exclaims.
"Really? That's good to know since he's planning to choose dare the rest of the night," Matty smirks taking the paper bag from Bozer, "Oh look, there's like six of these little peppers in here. That should last all night."
Mac looks truly pained, "Thanks Boz."
"Tell me the truth about the incident in San Francisco and I'll take the peppers out of play." Matty taunts.
Mac puts one fist to his chest and coughs harshly into his other before replying, "Sorry, I'm suddenly not feeling well. I think I'm going to call it a night."
"Fine, take the coward's way out. I'll get the story tomorrow at work." Matty challenges.
"Assuming I don't take a sick day," Mac retorts with a smile, although he really did feel off.
Matty just shakes her head and glares at him, but she's more amused than irritated.
"Dude, you might as well get it over with. She's going to find out eventually anyway. Trust me, she ALWAYS does." Jack suggests.
"Enjoy the game guys. I'm out." Mac replies, getting up to leave.
"Oh come on man. Don't be so stubborn!" Jack calls after him, shaking his head.
"So I take it he doesn't like to lose?" Matty asks rhetorically.
"You have no idea!" Bozer answers anyway.
"So before we go on, can we all agree the peppers are off limits?" Riley suggests.
"Deal. Yeah. For sure," Matty, Jack, and Bozer all answer in the affirmative.
"Unless Mac decides to rejoin," Matty adds as the remaining crew laughs and continues the game.
An hour later, Bozer is bringing out another round of beers as Jack heads inside.
"I'll be just a sec. I'm going to see if I can coax Mac back out." Jack advises.
"Good luck with that. I think he's really dug in this time. He's shut his bedroom door and turned off the light, but I guess it won't hurt to try," Bozer replies.
Jack knocks gently on the door before opening it, "Hey Mac. Whatcha say you quit hiding in here and rejoin the gathering? You're being kinda rude man."
Mac retorts sarcastically, "Sorry, I didn't realize that being sick was considered rude these day. I'll try to time my next ill…"
Mac's rant is interrupted by a harsh coughing fit as he struggles to sit up in bed and grabs a tissue. Jack's stomach flips as he realizes that Mac had been telling the truth and no one believed him. He quickly moves to Mac's side and supports him during the coughing fit.
"Aw bud, I'm sorry. We thought you were just sulking. You definitely feel clammy. Is there anything I can get you?" Jack asks.
"Thanks, but I just…" Mac begins but stops when he notices small specks of blood on the tissue in his hand.
Jack sees it too and instructs, "Alright, get dressed. I'm taking you to medical."
Mac quickly self-diagnoses the pulmonary embolism as a result of their stint in the Uruguay quicksand, it fit all his symptoms, so he nods his consent which only increases Jack's worry.
Mac realizes that Jack is panicking and quickly advises, "I'll be okay Jack. It think it's a PE, an unfortunate complication from the quicksand. Hopefully we've caught it early and I'll just need some blood thinners to dissolve the clot."
"Maybe I should call an ambulance instead? You told me that was some serious shit, like possibly fatal." Jack fusses.
"Please Jack. I don't want a big scene. Besides, we'll probably get there faster if you drive anyway." Mac responds as he finished dressing.
"Yeah, uh, okay. Let's go." Jack agrees ducking under Mac's arm as he wobbles a little.
Jack sits Mac down on the couch and says, "I'm just going to grab my keys and let everyone know what's going on."
Mac just nods and leans back heavily into the sofa.
Jack snatches his keys off the bench of the fire pit and announces, "I'm taking Mac to medical. He's really sick."
Jack turns and leaves before anyone can process what they've just heard.
Matty, Riley, and Bozer rush inside in time to see Jack helping a pale and sweaty Mac off the couch and leading him outside. Soon after the door closes they hear the Shelby rev up and speed off. Guilt settles in the pits of their stomachs.
"Well, I feel like a total ass." Matty declares.
"I've known Mac most of my life. If he's voluntarily going to medical, he must feel pretty lousy." Bozer adds.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not just going to wait around here. I'm heading down to medical to find out what's wrong with Mac." Riley announces, forgetting that she had rode in with Jack.
"Let's go. We'll take my car." Matty agrees.
Forty minutes later, they rush into medical to find Jack pacing the waiting room.
"Jack, what's going on?" Matty demands.
"He coughed up a little blood back at the house. Mac thinks it's a blood clot from the quicksand that's traveled to his lungs. The doc believes he's right, but is doing tests to confirm." Jack replies.
"Damn. I should have taken him seriously when he said he wasn't feeling well." Matty sighs.
"Yeah, I think we all feel that way." Riley agrees.
Jack spots the doctor and immediately rushes toward him, "Is Mac going to be alright?"
Doc Pierce holds out his hands to forestall anymore questions as he explains to the gathered group, "He has a DVT, a small piece broke off and traveled to his lung, causing his symptoms. The clot wasn't large enough to significantly block his airway or collapse his lung. We're able to treat it with blood thinners. We are going to keep him under observation overnight. If he's stable we can follow him as an outpatient, but I won't clear him for duty until the DVT is completely resolved."
"How long will that take?" Bozer asks.
"Each patient is different, but usually 5-10 days." Doc advises.
"Can we see him?" Jack requests.
"Of course. I'll have the nurse come get you once he's settled in a room." Doc confirms.
Twenty minutes later, Mac's been given clot busters and settled in a room for the night. He's already feeling better. There's a light knock at the door and he looks up as Jack, Matty, Bozer, and Riley pile in the room looking like cats who ate the canary.
"Hey guys." Mac greets with a smile.
"Mac, how are you feeling?" Riley asks.
"Much better actually. They're just keeping me overnight as a precaution." Mac replies.
"You're looking better too," Jack confirms, "You really had me worried bud."
"You had us all worried." Bozer adds.
"Sor…" Mac starts.
"…Don't you dare apologize for something you had no control over. I'm sorry, Mac. I didn't believe you when he said you weren't feeling well. Because of that, treatment of a serious medical condition was delayed. I'm just glad that Jack checked on you and got you to medical before the delay caused any serious repercussions." Matty interjected.
"I'm sorry too, Mac." Riley adds.
"We all feel terrible man. Can you forgive us?" Bozer asks.
Mac nods, "It's fine, I…"
"…It's not fine. It was really uncool and we won't let it happen again." Bozer interrupts.
After a moment of silence, Matty decides to lighten the mood,"So Blondie, it seems you will be taking sick time tomorrow. I guess you really don't want to tell me about San Francisco."
The group laughs, then Mac sobers and states, "You said if I messed up even one time, the word improvise…"
"… Oh Mac, no. That's not what I meant at all. I always want to be advised of injuries and illnesses, even the ones that result from foolhardy stunts. Got it?" Matty clarifies.
Mac nods, "Sprained wrist and bruised ribs."
"What?" Matty puzzles.
"The jump from the window in San Francisco resulted in a sprained wrist and bruised ribs. Nothing major." Mac explains.
"Minor, Major… Makes no difference. I want to know. I promise to believe you next time." Matty assures as her phone beeps.
Mac nods and tries unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.
"Well, we should let you get some rest." Bozer states.
"Don't worry. I'll be here when you wake up." Jack winks.
"You don't have to stay, Jack." Mac replies.
"Now where else would I be? Sorry kiddo, you're stuck with me." Jack answers stubbornly.
"Alright, I'll have my car take Riley and Bozer home. I need to brief Oversight and complete some paperwork since this was a mission related injury." Matty advises.
Matty, Riley, and Bozer leave as Jack settles into the recliner for the night. Mac is asleep within seconds. Matty makes her way upstairs to the restricted corridor and enters her bosses's office.
"Well? Do you want to explain to me why Agent Dalton's Shelby was seen on video surveillance nearly taking out the ambulance bay?" James snaps as soon as the door is closed.
Matty sighs, "There was a delayed complication of the Uruguay mission. It seems Agent MacGyver developed a DVT from the time spent trapped in that quicksand. I'm told they're going to be able to treat it will blood thinners though. Mac's already stable and feeling better. He's expected to make a full recovery."
James lets out a relieved breath, "Good, that's good. Can I assume he didn't report this complication?"
"Actually, he did report not feeling well earlier this evening. At the time, I don't think he knew exactly what was the matter. I believe he intended to sleep it off, but when he figured it out, he immediately let Jack bring him in." Matty explains.
James frowns, "He should have called an ambulance."
"Perhaps, but I recall handing an agent with a collapsed lung in the Ukraine that refused to taken by ambulance and instead drove himself to the hospital." Matty reminds.
James shakes his head chagrined, "Alright, fair enough, but I want better for him. He shouldn't make the same mistakes I did."
"Well, he is his father's son. Besides it's not like he can learn from your mistakes, he doesn't…" Matty begins.
"…Thank you, Director Webber. I can expect your paperwork on the incident in the morning?" James cuts Matty off to avoid this source of contention between them.
"Of course." Matty replies frustrated, believing it would do both father and son a world of good to be reunited.
Matty turns to leave when James says, "I do appreciate the difficult situation you're in, Matty. There's no one I trust more to steer the Phoenix and especially handle that particular team. I'm afraid Thornton left them with some bad habits."
"It'll take some time, but I promise to weed those out." Matty assures.
"I know you will. Thanks Matty." James replies.
Matty leaves and heads for her own office to complete said paperwork while she waits for her town car to return and take her home.