Just a quick and super humble note
You have all been so incredibly kind to me. Thank you for all your notes, encouragement and advice. Thanks for all the comments and kudos. You guys really do rock.
Thank you so much
Paris
Chapter Three
Mac felt like his heart was in his throat. 'Jack!'
Then the rope Jerked again and he was falling. It wasn't fast, that meant Jack's weight was still counterbalancing him. But it also meant Jack would be sliding towards the cliff and the two bombs that were left!
'No! Jack let go! Jack!'
MacGyver flailed trying to grab anything to stop his downwards motion. But he wasn't kidding earlier, he couldn't feel his legs from the harness strap, they were useless. Mac's hands scrambled to grab weeds, rocks anything. His hands bled from his attempts.
Then just as sudden as his fall, he was jerked violently to a stop, the rope swung slamming him roughly against the side of the cliff. He gasped. He couldn't catch his breath anymore. Something must have broken this time; the air was just too thick and he could feel his throat closing up. His face was pressed against the cliff face, it felt cool, spots were floating before his eyes as he his breath became shallower and made his lungs squeak with effort.
He simply couldn't think or rationalize anymore, it was all too much. And while his body was still secure to the side of the cliff, his consciousness fell silently away.
When Mac woke next there was a lot of noise and a lot of light.
Someone was right next to him, and his voice wasn't Jack's. He knew he wasn't thinking clearly and he needed to ground himself, the world was spinning. He flung his arm to grab on to something, anything. The shouting got louder for a moment and then something tight cinched across his arms and chest. No! he was going to fall! He needed to be able to hold on, or Jack was going to get blown up!
His eyes shot open and he let out a gasping wheeze. 'Jack!'
There were some more shouts and then Jack was by his side. 'Easy brother, you're on solid ground.'
Mac's eyes searched for his Overwatch blearily, finding him, he noticed white bandages wrapping his hands. Nothing was making sense. 'The bombs, did you get blown up? You hate getting blown up.'
Jack gave him a soft smile. 'No buddy, it's all good just a little rope burn, now just relax. They are going to take us on a nice safe helicopter back to base.'
Mac struggled against the straps holding him to a stretcher. 'But the mines…not done. How'd I get up here? The helicopters… not safe.' Mac slurred before slumping back with exhaustion, and possibly with whatever was in the IV that just got inserted into the back of his hand.
The medics pulled Jack back a bit so they could load MacGyver on to the helicopter.
Mac squirmed so his eyes stayed on his friend the whole time until they were both situated and flying back towards the base. Mac still feeling very dizzy, floaty and unhappy. He hated not understanding something, and right now he felt very much like he was missing a few pieces in a puzzle. 'I was on a cliff.' He mumbled. 'I don't like cliffs.'
Jack let out a small snort beside him. 'You have a way of stating the obvious, Carl's Junior.'
Mac watched his friend. He did feel better now that he could see Jack and they weren't just shouting at each other. But his nose wrinkled in disgust at the nickname. 'Stupid name.'
Jack seemed a bit giddy himself, the stress and the exhaustion of the night was bleeding off him. 'Well, we're going to talk about that buddy - and a whole lot more. Serious stuff too, you ain't going to like it. But I won't pester you until you can at least string more than two words together. Rest now while you can.'
Mac's eyes blinked slowly, not quite understanding, talk about what? But before he could ask he must have blinked one too many times, because he didn't remember much after that.
The second time Mac woke up he was in the base's medical center. Jack was sitting was sitting beside him pawing at a home and garden magazine. Mac watched him silently for a while. He wasn't sure what was odder. The big tough Delta operator reading a home and garden magazine or that he seemed to be wearing white mittens.
Mac laid there in his warm blanket cocoon, happy to observe his friend. Until his body rebelled on him. Apparently, he had an oxygen tube running to his nose, it was itchy and kind of annoying, and he sneezed… loudly.
A couple of things happened then and Mac found out why not moving was a really good idea. The sneeze had caused Mac to partially sit up and take a deep breath before exploding out of his mouth and nose. Pain seized his ribs, the pain in his head was startling and the room started to spin. On top of that, the worst case of pins and needles flickered up and down his legs. On top of that Jack jumped startled, letting out a yell, and dropped his magazine.
Jack recovered a lot faster than Mac did though, and was soon at his friend's side, easing him back on the bed. 'Slow breaths brother.'
Mac caught his breath slowly and the world started to stop his slow spin. 'Ouch.'
'Yeah, no kidding.' Jack agreed amicably. 'You got a broken rib, a concussion, and a partially perforated eardrum. Oh! And the doc said your legs are kind of messed up too, but no bullets at least. The sniper shooting at the ravine caused some rocks to fly up and nick you pretty good, so you got a few stitches. Your circulation was also compromised, so they are going to be kind of weak for a while, it's a long list but nothing too bad.'
'At least I don't have to stay then.' Mac replied hoarsely.
Jack lifted a Styrofoam cup to his friend's lips and Mac sipped from its bendy straw. 'Well Hoss, you certainly can try and leave but I think the Doc will get kind of pissed when you fall on your face and he has to fix your broken nose. Between the concussion, eardrum, and legs, I don't think you stand a chance, pun intended.'
Mac smiled a bit, as much as he didn't want to stay in the medical tent, the sneeze was enough to make the room spin like a top, and maybe Jack was right, not that he would say that out loud. At the moment he was content to stay where he was, it was just kind of nice to be alive right now. 'How long do I have to stay?'
'Doc, says just until you can stand up without falling over, probably a couple of days. No missions for a few weeks though.
Mac nodded slightly but when the room began to twist again he stopped instantly. He swallowed a few times as queasiness start to appear. 'Um, well this sucks.' He closed his eyes for a second steadying himself. 'So, what happened. I remember falling, and I was dragging you towards the cliff, and the mines, then not a whole lot.'
'The Calvary got there in just the nick time. A few Seals got off the helicopter, grabbed me by the ankles, stopping me from going into the minefield then they pulled you up. Frigging Seals! Man, I'll never hear the end of it!' Jack scowled.
'What about the mines, we didn't finish.'
'The boss has some infantry schmucks out there guarding it until Scooby and Neo are rested and can head out there again. '
Mac let out his breath slowly, he hated leaving any job half done. 'Are you going to go out with them again?'
Jack shrugged. 'Maybe, but I am not doing much until you and I have a little chat. And seeing you can't really run away right now it's a perfect time.'
Mac felt instantly on the defensive. 'Talk about what?'
Jack circled his bandaged hand in front of Mac's face, threatening to cause his head to spin again. 'That right there! The minute I even hint at a heart to heart you get defensive and shut down.'
'I don't…' Mac started but Jack cut him off.
'You do! You have walls taller than China!'
'China? You mean the Great Wall? It's not ….'
'No!' Jack's voice filled the small room causing Mac to flinch. Jack saw the movement and continued more calmly, but not backing down. 'I need you to listen to me, Mac. Really listen. You're not at University anymore, or back in Hollywood at your beach house. Its life and death out here. '
'I'm well aware.' Mac Deadpanned with a hint of annoyance. 'I don't work on firecracker's you know.'
Jack sighed, sitting down in his chair once he pulled it close to his friends' bed. 'I know, I know, and you've lost people. I'm saying this all wrong…' Jack paused for a moment. 'What I am trying to say is out here you can't be a one-man show; you and I are partners we have to look out for each other.'
MacGyver frowned. 'Do you think I am ungrateful? I'm not, Jack, I realized you saved my life today. I can't thank you enough. I really appreciate you keeping an eye out for me.'
'Do you?'
Mac looked at the Delta's face. 'Of course, I do.'
Jack tried to run his hands over his face, but the bandages oh his hand stopped him and he huffed in frustration. 'If someone gave you a sandwich would you be grateful?'
MacGyver was just not following Jack's point. 'Well, I am kind of queasy right now but I suppose.'
Jack just studied his friend for a moment and Mac felt squeamish under the scrutiny. 'Mac, I am going to need a lot more than your gratitude. When things get thick out here I am going to need to know we trust each other and not just on a cursory level. I mean really trust. I have tried, hell I have probably over shared, but I am just not getting anything from you back.'
Mac started to speak, but a look from Jack stopped him again.
'I am sure in your head you think you trust me. But I see evidence of you holding back every day. Under fire, I need to know everything about you man. How you think, how you act, what you're scared of, I need to know with my heart how you are going to react, good or bad. And this one will be the hardest for you… we need to trust each other without thinking. It has to be instinctual, and I think whatever made you the way you are has been rough and you don't know how to just have faith in someone anymore. This cliff thing, there was nothing wrong with being scared. Hell, I'm scared of loads of stuff. What bothers me is that I should have known you were scared of heights, but I didn't until it happened. Things have to change.' Jack put his hand on his friend's arm, making a connection.
Mac swallowed nervously.
Jack continued, 'You're the smartest person I know, and if you can just give me an inch, maybe with a little help, you could really trust me, and maybe we could just make it out of here alive.'
They sat in silence for a moment, Mac blinked away some tears that had started to well. 'I really thought my acrophobia was something I could handle, it's not that I was trying to keep it hidden. I really did think its just something that wouldn't be an issue.'
Jack smiled kindly. 'You shouldn't have to handle it on your own buddy, that's the point. We're a team, its something we handle together.'
They sat in silence for a moment, as Jack watched the wheels in MacGyvers head spin.
'It's not easy for me.' Mac admitted.
'I know, but we got to start somewhere.'
Mac took a moment to compose himself, thinking all about what Jack said before starting in a quiet voice. 'I like to look at the stars, I understand them, all the science. They are always there, reliable. There is this one star called Canopus, its silly but in my head, I call it The Jack Star.'
Jack's lip quirked up. 'Oh yeah?'
'Yeah, it's pretty bright and is always close to Sirius. When you are in the states you can't always see it but it's still there.' Mac met his friend's eyes, pleading that he understood. 'I trust the science Jack and I have faith that Canopus is always going to be there.'
Jack gave Mac, a big grin, clapping his hand on the younger man's shoulder. 'It's a good start, Mac… it's a good start.'
The end… but really the beginning…
