Sins Of The Father_ Chapter 5

Happy whatever you all celebrate! I've been swamped so I've not had time to write of late; but here is my next chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

"Mac, kiddo, you with me" Jack asked as he gently tapped on the blonde's forehead. Mac had been talking one minute and 'out' the next. He was now lying on the floor with Jack hovering over him trying to determine if he needed to call Phoenix Medical for the kid or not. "There you are", Jack said as Mac opened his eyes and looked up at him.

"I went somewhere?" Mac said as he started to move to a sitting position. He felt Jack's hands pushed back against his shoulders making it impossible for him to complete the motion.

Jack rolled his eyes at Mac's question, then when he realized the kid was trying to sit up, he pushed gently against both the kid's shoulders to ensure he did not move off the floor yet; not until Jack was sure it was OK for his friend to move as he answered his friend's question; "yep, you were out cold for a few minutes kiddo" Jack looked down at his young friend who was glaring at him at this point since Jack's hands were effectively preventing him from moving. "Glare at me all you want kid, you ain't moving until I'm sure you're OK" He pointed a finger at Mac, "and NO, you are NOT OK, people who are "OK" do not pass out mid-sentence"

Mac sighed and closed his eyes, both due to Jack's Papa-Bear's comments and to the fact the room was spinning and his head was pounding. "I'm sorry Jack" he said, not quite sure why he was apologizing really, but it seemed like a good start. "Sorry?" Mac heard Jack ask, "For what kid? None of this is your fault" Mac placed an arm over his eyes and then rubbed his hand over his face; "for always being so much work, I don't mean to add to your problems Jack; my family's sins, the sins of my father, should not be your responsibility"

Jack was really, really, going to kill the kid's father when he found him, well, maybe not kill him, because Mac would probably want to speak to the man, but he was going to hurt him, hurt him once for every second of every minute of every instance he caused Mac pain; the beating was going to be epic!

He shook his head and then looked down at the kid, grabbing his head with both his hands, forcing the boy to look at him before he spoke. "Listen to me kiddo, I'm only going to say this once: YOU are NOT now or EVER 'too much work', you and I are a team, we are friends, brothers; I love you Mac and because of that, your problems are my problems, OK?" He waited for acknowledgement from the boy before he continued, Mac blinked at him, tears threatening to spill from his eyes, so Jack continued, "I don't give a rat's ass what, or who your father did when you were a kid, and although I'm incredibly sorry for your little sister's passing, the ONLY one that matters to me right now is YOU son, YOU are my ONLY priority, today, tomorrow, always"; Jack paused to take a breath and steady himself, still holding the kid's head between his hands. "I need you to understand that once and for all, OK?, can you do that for me son?" Jack purposely used the word "son" to try and drive his message home to Mac.

Mac heard everything Jack said and he felt tears well in his eyes; whatever his family, his father had done in the past, it was troubling, and hurtful at times, but in front of him, holding him like a anchor, was a man who loved him unconditionally, who would do absolutely anything for him and who he knew really did not mind helping him, regardless of the task. Mac swallowed hard and maneuvering around the older man's hands on his face, he sat up and engulfed his friend in a bear hug, holding so tightly it almost felt like he was going to break one of Jack's ribs.

Jack was done with his discourse when he was suddenly startled by Mac sitting straight up and hugging him. Now Jack was a huger, he loved being 'touchy-feely with those he loved, but Mac was not, so the fact that the boy was hugging him, evidently for dear life judging by the strength of the embrace, was both sweet and worrying, but Jack figured, why look at a gift horse in the mouth and he just returned the embrace, hugging his boy tightly, and when his mouth was close Mac's ear, he whispered "I'm here son, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere, we will figure this out together my boy"

After a few minutes, Mac disengaged from the embrace, wiping a hand on his face to quickly dry off some wetness that had somehow gotten through his defenses as tears. He looked at Jack another second before speaking, "Thanks Jack, um…. Can I get up now please?"

Jack realized they were both still on the deck's floor, a position forgotten over all the other stuff going on. He smiled at Mac and nodded. He stood first and then held out his hand to the blond to help the kid up, not at all missing how Mac swayed on his feed as he stood, but choosing to not make a fuss over it, not yet anyway, he decided to focus on why they ended up on the floor to begin with. "So, you want to tell me what that was all about kid? Why you pass out on me? What is going on?"

Once Jack had helped him stand, Mac felt the room spin and himself falter a bit, but he was able to steady himself quickly, perhaps before Jack noticed, although he doubted it. Jack though, instead of focusing on the dizzy spell as Mac expected, decided to ask why he had passed out. Mac looked at Jack and sighed; I don't know Jack, my head is pounding and suddenly everything went grey on me"; he figured honestly at least my get him some brownie points with Jack he could cash in later, "next thing I knew I was lying on the ground" "Can we please go inside now Jack?" Mac was suddenly feeling very exposed being out on the deck and he wanted to sit down anyway, on a soft comfy, none-twirling couch (he hoped).

Jack frowned at Mac's admission to a headache that was bad enough to cause him to pass out. He knew the kid was prone to really bad migraines, but he also knew Mac was not one to readily admit to pain, so that meant the kid's defenses were way down tonight, not always a good sign. When Mac asked if they could go back inside, he was all for that, getting the kid in bed was his next goal. He nodded at Mac as a response, and then grabbed the kid's left forearm as he steered him towards the inside of the house. Mac complied and started walking inside, not even trying to wiggle out of Jack's grip, also not good Jack thought…

When Mac saw the couch he started heading right towards it, only to hear Jack say, "nope, you're going to bed kid", Mac slumped his shoulders a bit, so close he thought, but did as Jack wanted and changed course towards his room. Once inside, he sat heavily on his bed and sighed, looking down at his sneakers as if their shoelaces were to blame for everything that was happening; in actuality, Mac was contemplating bending down to undo the laces with the massive headache, not something he thought would end well. He was startled out of his reverie about the shoes' evil plans to make his head hurt by Jack down on one knee, undoing the laces and slipping his feet out of them…hum… he missed something somewhere but he was too tired to care, so he let Jack continue unchallenged; he then felt Jack's hands on his shoulders again, pressing down making him lie down, his pillow connecting with his head, and then felt his legs being lifted and placed on the bed. When did he lose complete control of his body's movements? Mac knew he should be complaining about the amount of help Jack was providing him, after all, he was a grown man, fully capable of getting himself to bed unaided, but although his brain wanted to object, his body was tired and evidently in cahoots with Jack's plans for it, including his mouth, refused to move, so he just laid there, quietly allowing his friend to tuck him. He looked up suddenly as Jack held out a glass of water and his migraine medication; he took them dutifully and then allowed Jack to pull a blanket up to his shoulders, he was speaking but honestly Mac was not listening, he just wanted to sleep, then the room was basked in darkness as Jack had obviously turned off the light. Mac's drifted off into sleep slowly, thoughts of his little sister ushering him to a heavy slumber.

Jack was worried as he exited Mac's room after very easily, too easily, maneuvering, hell, man-handling the kid into bed. Mac had not uttered a single word, not a single snide comment about him not being a child, as Jack removed his shoes and quiet literally tucked him into bed and fed him this meds. It was not like Mac to be that pliable. He was headed out towards the deck to pick up the beer bottles and close up the decks' doors when his cell phone rang. "Dalton" he answered without even glancing at the screen to see who it was. He stopped in his tracks as Riley spoke, hanging up the phone after uttering a quick "thanks Riles" to the girl and unconsciously holding his phone so tightly his knuckles were white. This is not good, not good at all he thought… Riley worked her magic and had figured out who had sent the package to Mac's house; it was not Mac's dad.. Dammit he thought, how Mac was going to take these news…

To be continued…