At the end of their first week together they fell into a routine that let Mac be a bit more relaxed. Sometimes he commented Jack's stories or asked simple questions. The constant talking in that soft, texan voice calmed him and he could totally concentrate on the complexity of the IED's. Astonished Mac found out that his new overwatch wasn't as bad as he feared at the beginning. Even with the background of his former Delta-unit and being a highly trained soldier he never gave his bomb nerd the feeling of being not equal. Working together was more and more simultaneous, but back at the base they still walked different ways. Jack sometimes shook his head about Mac improvising at disarming but trusted him as much that he gave him the most unbelievable tools.

Then there was a very unnerving day with a very strange reaction from Mac to Jack. They walk a hundred times through that small village, turning everything upside down but found not a single explosive device. Mac wasn't confident at all. He insisted that there was something hidden. Jack was tired, the heat was more unbearable as usual and they stayed outside longer than they planned to, so they had to take care about their water and food. No disembled IED's should give Jack a good feeling, but it was exactly the opposite. It was like the calm before the storm. Mac seemed to be strained to. Something wasn't right, but that should be the problem of another team. They were out there too long for Jack's liking and so he was done. His call over the comms revealed that. He wanted to go back and that order was given.

As soon as he told Mac about going back, the younger man turned and went around a corner. Jack cursed, sighed, catched quickly his sniper rifle and followed his specialist. With one look he recognized the situation his EOD got in carelessly and hurried up to the second floor of a run down building. Just in time he reached a window to see Mac enclosed by four insurgents. From Jack's position the men stood very well in his way. He lifted his rifle, aimed short but carefully through the scope and fired two shots in a split of a second. All four attackers went down. Mac looked up unbelievingly to Jack's window. It was a point for the kid to know where the sniper stood without searching for Jack's position. Very good, his sense was sensible not only with explosives.

They changed a few words, before Mac started to work and disarm the bomb. But these few words echoed in Jack's head ‚I didn't thought you would follow me'. What did the boy think? It was his duty to watch over the kid. Waiting at the humvee that wasn't possible and even when he didn't agree with Mac's behaviour he would never in his life let the kid go alone! Not when they were at a mission. On the other side it made Jack nervous what this sentence said about his former OMT's. There were only 30 days left of his tour until he finally could fly back stateside. Carl's junior had to do his work here some more months and how often would the next overwatches struggle about his behavior and leave him alone? Maybe he could teach him a little bit more self-preservation until he went home.

Even when Mac's thoughts went in circles about the strange reaction of his overwatch, he could disarm the bomb quickly and without any problems. Only when he laid all the single parts in front of him he realized that his earwig remained silent.
„Jack?"
„Yeah?"
„I- uhm- I'm done."
„Pick up everything and then we leave."
„You're okay?" Mac's voice was careful. He felt, that something bothered Jack.
„We have to talk! But first, we leave."
Mac nodded. He knew the telling-Off. Reckless, tired of life, crazy, uncontrollable, impossible to be lead, refusal to obey orders- Jack would want to change his responsibility, even when he just had 30 days left of his tour. Too bad. The Texan was a likable partner also their first didn't look the part.

Silently Mac brought all the single components back to their vehicle and sat down at the front seat. Jack's face was hard as a rock sitting behind the wheel, when they took off. He noticed Mac's careful side glances, but didn't react to that. More confusing was that he didn't say one single word.
Mac sighed. He wanted to go over it. „Come on, talk to me. I know the drill, you're not the first one. Don't worry I won't go in your way changing somewhere else."
Jack stomped on the break, so hard that Mac fell into the belt. Vicious he looked at the boy. „What's wrong with ya? You want to get rid of me?"
After Mac could breathe again, he shook his head slowly.
„No, really, I just thought…"
„That's your problem, kid," Jack interrupted him instantly. „You're thinkin' constantly. Always, too much. You know everything, you're a walking lexicon, but as soon as it comes to people you know nothing!"
Earnestly confused Mac looked at him. This talking was new. He was so confused that he couldn't say one word. Jack's angry face softened also his fists still pressed the wheel.
„It's my duty to make sure you stay alive. I take my duty serious. I don't know what your overwatches before I did wrong, but clearly they didn't do their job. I assume, you're still alive because you have a very fast guardian angel. It's not the honor of your overwatches and not at all your self-destructing manner! I don't want to change somewhere else, I'm responsible for you and I will be that for the next 30 days. So, trust me and don't make my work harder than it is, capisce?"
Mac nibbled on his lower lip. This talking was absolutely new. His brain seemed to take a break, because he couldn't really get the sense of this speech.
He nodded nonetheless.
Jack stared at him for a few seconds more, than he sighed and started the engine again. The rest of the drive went on in silence.

Sixteen days later Jack got to know that the young soldier had no family to return to when his tour was over. That day Mac saved Jack's life and an emotional moment let Jack think about to reenlist for the first time to watch over the blond boy further on. When he finally went to the plane, he really turned around and signed his papers under the condition that he could stay Mac's partner. He returned to the base. The shining blue eyes were reward enough for Jack. His decision was right he could see that by the whole manner Mac represented himself at that moment.
Experienced they did their work. In the evening Mac brought back 31 explosives, disarmed and dissembled into every little piece. They had to look over most of them in more detail. There were a few new varieties that were tricky. A less improved EOD would have had his problems, that's why it was important to teach the others the specifics.
It was very late when Mac finally could shower and put on fresh clothes. He rubbed his hair, while he went back to the tent. Jack sat on stacked crates next to the entry.
He held a beer to him and pointed to a plate with a lot of food.
Mac smiled thankfully. „Do we celebrate your decision to stay here for another round?"
Jack lifted his shoulders. „I want to toast on our friendship."
The blond lifted his eyebrows. "Friendship, hu?"
„How'ld ya call it, Carl's junior?"
Mac laughed. That nickname would last longer, but it doesn't bother him right now. Not at all. He took the bottle, bestrode on the crate and clicked his beer.
„On our friendship!"
The two men drank then Mac started to eat hungry.