Last chapter! Thank you very much for reading. I hope my little journey through Mac and Jack's past pleased you. I would be happy about one or another comment or some other reactions . See / Read you next time!

The Taliban were totally dumbfounded. They felt too safe at their hideout. Jack never hesitated, shouted strict orders and went straight to a wooden door where only one guard sat outside. The man was too slow and surprised, he fumbled with his rifle until he finally raised it somehow and aimed fairly into Jack's direction. The Texan didn't seek cover and on contrary to his opponent he didn't have any problems with his gun. Aimed, fired and killed. He also didn't bother with the lock of the door. He just kicked it in. The wood splintered and gave away the view into the small windowless room behind. The sunbeams flooded in. On the opposite side the captive lay on the ground. This picture burned itself very deep into Jack's mind. Mac's hair that was too long for Army-liking, hang down lank and sticking around his head, his right cheek was swollen, skin and lips on some spots burst open and bloody. The blue eyes seemed to be nearly colorless and stared at Jack in a mixture of unbelief, fear and hope. They lay deep in their sockets. On his bare torso Jack could see the ribs under some swelling, covered in black, purple-red, green and yellow bruises. The dirty-stained trousers were ruptured at some places and the bare feet tried to hide under his body. At first Mac held his bound hands protective in front of his face.

"Mac!"
Slowly the kid realized that his partner stood really right in front of him. And slowly his hands sank down to the ground. His try to smile failed miserably.
"Jack? You're here?"
The deep, soft voice of the young man was unnaturally hoarse. Jack's stomach cramped. He knew that this hoarseness was caused by too many screams. Screams that were brutally forced out by Mac's torturers. The boy tried to lift up, strenuous and full of pain.
"Where else should I be, buddy? I'm so sorry, it took so long. Can you walk?"

With just three steps Jack was at Mac's side. Mac nodded and the Texan helped him onto his feet. He took his knife and cut the rope. Mac's left leg buckled but Jack caught him very gentle. Full of trust Mac leaned into the strong grip, relaxed in the touch and his whole body shook with exhaustion. A silent cry went through the tortured boy and Jack felt his shoulder becoming wet with Mac's tears. When he wanted to pull the kid closer with his left arm, he felt the welts on the bare back. The thought alone about the reason for these injuries nearly let Jack vomit. He had to force himself to not let his breakfast up again. For one moment he closed his eyes, swallowed down the bile, took a deep breath and ran his right hand calming over the dirty, blood-crusted hair. He had to be strong for his young partner to overcome these events.
"Everything's okay, I'm here now. Come on, let's go home."
Mac only nodded.

Jack took off his jacket and wrapped it softly around Mac's shoulders, than he wiped away his tears and looked at him with an unspoken question. Again Mac nodded. He leaned heavy on Jack's support and limped out of his prison.
When they entered the courtyard, Mac stared at one of the dead bodies on the ground.
"Did he do that to you?" Jack asked in a calm voice.
Mac just nodded once more.
"Kid, you scare me. Talk to me, buddy."
With still teary eyes Mac finally looked at his overwatch.
He answered raspy. "Yeah, he was their leader. The only one who spoke English. Besides him there were ten other men. Can we go now? Please?"
Jack's heart shattered at the plea. This one word held the whole pain, fear and desperation Mac suffered.
Lieutenant Myers confirmed that. Seven were dead and the other three gave up and were ready for transport to the base.
"Yes, we go now." Jack encouraged his young friend. „You were so brave, Carl's Junior. I'm proud of ya."
Mac coughed out a rough and short laughter at the nickname.

Caren went straight to Jack, who sat in the chair next to Mac's bed. He didn't leave the boy since their arrival at the camp. Only for the most urgent needing he stood up and came back instantly after. He never let the kid out of his sight.
With a loving gaze Caren looked at the sleeping patient, then turned to Jack.
"You can take Mac with you today. He's doing really good. His injuries healed properly and his knee is ready for normal work. He should wear a bandage for the next weeks, so he avoids the possibility of an unlucky movement which would fill up the joint with fluid again. Do you know where you're going next?"
"Yeah, Captain Morrows gave me the order to go south. Kandahar. Mac should look at some new uncommon devices together with Charlie. We're not directly in the war zone anymore and I hope he can go back to normality without being too much traumatized."
Caren was glad to hear that. "Sounds good. Take good care of him. I think he's going over the events pretty well, but he's so young and you never know how something like that influences him in the long run."
"Don't worry. I will be there for him."
Jack smiled, he liked Caren.

"Ready, kid?"
Jack stood patiently waiting at the truck, which they could use for their travel to Kandahar. Jack's gear, food for the next days for both of them and additional stuff for the base in the south lay already inside. Mac stood at the tent, his belongings in the rucksack hanging over his shoulder. While Jack watched his partner he seemed not to behave another way than before. He laughed about a comment from Lewis and tucked away a strand of his still too long hair out of his face with a smooth movement of his long fingers.
When he finally got in at the front seat, he proudly showed Jack the little goodies, a small cake and other groceries he recieved as a goodbye from the soldiers.
"I think, we're not starving."
"Looks like that." Jack answered smiling.
Both looked forward to their journey out of the active war zone. After driving for some miles the mountains shone in the rearview mirror in the midday sun. Mac saw it and became silent.
"What's wrong, kid? You're good?"
Mac nodded not very convincing. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Jack gave him a critical look. "You're still a bad liar. You're not fine. Come on, what's wrong?"

Mac sighed and the moment Jack wanted to ask again, he started to speak by himself.
"We learned a bit about the behavior when you get captured at the basic and a bit more at special training. At that time it was so unreal for me. Even when I was here for over a year, it seemed to be so absurd. I never thought really about that possibility, I repressed it. Maybe like: That never happens to me. And then- "
Mac went silent again and nibbled his bottom lip. Jack waited. He wasn't used to his partner not finding words. Normally he knew thousand words for everything. What Mac then said, surprised the Texan.
"Thanks, Jack."
"What for?"
Mac coughed nervously. "For not giving up on me. You took me out of that hell hole. I know they would have killed me. Maybe on that day, maybe the next. My time was up."
Jack was really a bit surprised by that confirmation. Nevertheless his young partner was afraid to die. Even his actions on duty were sometimes very careless, nearly suicidal without any self-preservation, he wasn't looking for death. Or was it just the way it would have happened? On duty to safe others it was acceptable but not as a prisoner by the hands of war criminals? Maybe it was that difference. Jack didn't know if he ever would understand the intelligent young man next to him. There were too many brain cells and too many complicated trains of thoughts. On the other hand, it wasn't important if he would ever understand the kid totally. Mac was important for him, Mac was his friend. That was all that counted.
"No doubt about that. I would never give up on you."

The blonde looked at him thoughtfully until finally a smirk changed the too serious face into juvenile carelessness.
"You want an oat-chocolate-cake?"
"They're from Tom's wife, right? Yeah, bring it on!"
They laughed together and the mood lightened. Jack was sure: Mac would go over the events, he would manage it and Jack would help him on that way.