Sorry it has been so long, I've been busy again...
After what seemed like forever, Jack breathed a sigh of relief when Mac finally groaned and started to come around; the kid had been lucky, after that crazy lady had shot him and he damn near bled out in Jack's arms, the Phoenix team showed up and were able to stabilize the kid to get him to Phoenix's Hospital in time, that was 3 days ago.
Jack stood up when he heard the boy groan and walked over to the bed, holding the kid's hand as he waited for Mac to come completely awake; it was not long until he was staring at the kid's baby blue eyes, a sight that Jack feared he would never behold again.
"Jack" Mac whispered, clearing his throat and blinking rapidly trying to make the room come into focus; Mac could feel something soft under him and judging by the white sterile walls around him, which finally came into focus, he figured he was at Phoenix Medical.
"Hey kiddo, took a long nap there huh? you seriously trying to give me a full head of grey hairs, aren't you?" Jack rubbed his hand over his face, his body finally feeling the last 3 days of pure hell as he watched his "son" come to the brink of death and he have almost no power to help, he had not left the boy's side for more than a few minutes the last 72 hours, afraid that if he did leave him for too long, something could happen, and he would never forgive himself if he was not there.
"What happened?" Mac asked his friend, confused, since the last thing he remembered was going for the gun Joanne was holding, and something about a grenade; obviously things must have worked out since he and Jack were both alive.
"Joanne is OK, she is being held in a mental health ward of a prison facility; hopefully she will be able to get the help she needs.
Mac nodded, "good"; Mac was startled when he felt a tear fall from his eye unencumbered, he was not normally the sentimental type, but he could not help but feel sorrow for Joanne, for Ashley, a little girl that did not have a chance, for his father, for himself, just sorry for the whole thing.
Jack saw a tear run down Mac's cheek, his heart breaking, he dried it with his thumb; a bit surprised the kid did not stop him, or balk at him for doing so, a testament Jack knew to just how much this whole situation affected the boy.
"Sorry" Mac whispered…" I'm tired Jack" he said closing his eyes and effectively ending their conversation. Mac just needed to take a minute to breathe and regroup before he faced this glitch in his reality, he knew Jack would understand.
Jack knew Mac was avoiding the situation, but he was OK with that for now, it was not like the kid could not use some rest anyway so he let things be for now, he carded a hand through the kid's hair as he stood there thinking about all the things Mac has had to endure in his young life, his mom dying, his idiot father leaving him on his birthday, evidently the death of his sister, Murdoc's obsession with him, etc.; it was not fair that such a good soul, such a kind, loving young man did not deserve to be constantly beat down and hurt by those around him, it angered Jack that this kept happening and as he stood there, looking down at his young friend, he vowed to do everything in his power to keep Mac safe not from others, that he did always, but from himself; he knew that Mac sometimes was his worst enemy, trying to take on the weight of the World on his shoulders all by himself, and blaming himself for all that goes wrong around him.
He looked down at the blond and realized Mac had fallen back to sleep and smiled; Mac looked years younger as he laid there sleeping peacefully. "You will be OK Mac, I promise, you will be fine, I will do whatever I have to do to help you through this and anything else you need son, you have my word"
Mac slept on, with his "father" keeping watch over him.