Epilogue

"Jack, I get it, okay? It's like being Batman."

Mac figured the comic book reference would chill Jack out, or at least divert the lecture into more of an ignorable monologue. He needed to mentally prepare for their arrival. He was pretty sure he could do this, but he'd have to be careful. He was already distracted, and he needed to focus to pull this off.

Jack's face lit up and he glanced away from the road at Mac in clear approval. "Exactly! You have to have a cover to protect your loved ones, hell, even to protect yourself. You've already seen what it's like when the bad guy knows who you are. Honest to god Mac, I get sick to my stomach when I think what could have happened if O'Neill had found where you lived instead of having to go fishing for you at DXS, and …"

"But he didn't," Mac interrupted a little sharply. He hadn't meant to set Jack off about how he'd gotten himself taken prisoner and everything that had happened. His injuries were a present enough reminder of that. "Because apparently I'm already Batman … No, not Batman … Batman's kind of a jerk … I'd like to say Hulk because you know I love Banner, but that's stretching the metaphor a little."

"Ironman?" Jack asked helpfully, turning onto Mac's street. "He's a super science nerd who builds stuff just like you do."

"Ironman is good. But I'm not much of a drinker, and unfortunately my luck with women isn't even in the ballpark … not even playing the same game … as Tony Stark."

"I dunno, kid. Nikki seemed awfully pleased you were coming back to work."

Mac blushed a little; he could feel his ears and neck warming with it. "Yeah she did, didn't she?" He laughed to cover his mild embarrassment, as Jack pulled up in front of his house. "But I'm betting Tony Stark wouldn't have tripped over his own tongue when she flirted with him though."

"Hmmm," Jack said, still mulling over the superhero question. It was a familiar tension breaker from their days in uniform.

He and Mac got out of the car at the same time, but Mac was around to his side quickly to get the crutches out of the back seat and hand them to Jack. Even one handed, he currently had a distinct advantage mobility-wise.

"Thanks, man … Oh! I've got it. You are like our very own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Dorky, and young, and helpful, with a nice smattering of science nerd and an ability to attract pretty girls you have no idea what to do with!"

Mac laughed more naturally this time. "Other than my complete inability to throw webs, and the fact that the idea of swinging off the tops of buildings is … let's go with … no fun, I guess he's probably close enough."

They got to the door. Jack looked at Mac again. "All joking aside, are you ready for this?"

Mac frowned but nodded. "Yeah. I've got to figure this out if I want Boze to be able to keep being my roommate … And honestly, I just want to sleep in my own bed tonight."

"You think he's gonna freak out?"

Mac sighed. "Oh yeah. He's definitely gonna freak out. But less than if I told him the truth." He grinned sheepishly. "This won't exactly be the first time I lied to him about an injury anyway. And half of what I did in the Army was classified too. I mean, this is a lot … But in a way, it's not really new."

He reached out with his good hand and opened the door. "Boze, I'm home," he called out as he and Jack went inside.

"Hey Boze!" Jack said, so Bozer would know Mac had company.

Bozer came around the corner. "Hey Jack! Hey Mac … ohmygodwhathappenedtoyouareyoualright!?" His smiling greeting morphed into a horrified exclamation as he practically sprinted to stand in front of Mac. "You didn't get carjacked again did you? Or shot?"

Mac plastered on his most reassuring smile, one he'd used on Bozer a million times when they were kids and he needed his frantic friend to step back from some proverbial ledge. "No, Boze. I'm okay."

"Okay? Okay?!" Boze asked incredulously. "You look worse than the time in ninth grade when Darlene Martin sat with you at lunch to make Donny Sandoz jealous!"

He led Mac to their sofa by his good arm. Mac widened his eyes at Jack in an I-told-you-so expression but let himself be sat down. "It's not that bad, Boze. The guy who did this wasn't trying to hurt me. Donny definitely was."

"What?!" Boze was standing in front of Mac shifting his weight around and looking like he was torn between letting Mac explain himself and calling 911. "Your face looks like … I don't even know! And a sling, too? What happened?!"

"I did something dumb," Mac began.

Jack flopped casually into the chair off to the side so he could see both of them, resting his leg and his crutches against the coffee table. "Can you believe that, Boze? Our own pet genius thinks he can do dumb things?" Jack interjected lightly to further take the edge off Bozer's worry since Boze knew Jack had a protective streak and if Jack wasn't worried he probably shouldn't be either.

"What did you do?" came out as an accusation more than a question but both Mac and Jack could read Bozer's tension already ratcheting down a notch or two.

Mac did an admirable job looking embarrassed. "So … you know how I took jiu jitsu when we were in high school?"

"Oh, Mac. You didn't."

"I didn't get in a fight!" He laughed. "Well, I mean I did, but the sparring in a ring kind, not the calling bullies who've been giving you crap since kindergarten a stunted warthog-faced Neanderthal kind."

"Huh?"

"The hotel Ainsley's put me up in for the car show had a fitness center and they had a bunch of classes. I saw jiu jitsu on the roster and … I was bored … I figured why not? But I misjudged a flip … I mean I haven't done one in years … and I went right out of the ring."

Bozer looked at him incredulously for a minute and Mac had to resist the urge to swallow hard as he became certain Bozer was going to call bullshit. Then Bozer just squinted at him. "How bad you hurt?"

Mac sighed and Jack had to conceal a smile at how absolutely perfectly Mac was selling this whole story. He'd worried Mac would feel badly about it, but when Thornton had told him Bozer couldn't know anything about his new job, Mac had nodded and said it made sense, that Bozer had agonized over his job in the military. He wouldn't want Boze to worry like that again every time he went to work. And he definitely wouldn't want Bozer to be a target because he had information. That … Bozer wouldn't bounce back from that, Mac was certain.

"It's not too bad, Boze, I busted up my ribs a little landing on some equipment and I tore up my shoulder pretty good, but it'll heal up in no time. Only problem is I can't work on cars one handed so I'm gonna be changing jobs again," he said like he really felt bad about it. Truth was, Don Ainsley had hired him because he liked him not because he needed the help, and since he had every intention of dropping by to shoot the breeze and maybe bring his bike over for work, he didn't think Don would take it very hard.

"What're you gonna do?" Boze asked, still looking like he thought Mac might break apart on him. Mac knew Bozer would suspect things were worse than he said. Boze knew him from far enough back to know why, too, so he wouldn't push too hard.

"Well, Jack set things up so I can go back to X-com's Applied Sciences Department. The boss really liked me so she's happy I'm free. After I get my shoulder all sorted out I'm gonna go get a little more training at their corporate office. I've missed it a little."

"That cute blond you had your eye on still work there?" Boze asked with a grin.

Mac nodded and raised his eyebrows. "She does. And she wants to get drinks this weekend."

"My boy!" Boze enthused raising his hand for a fist bump and laughing a little when Mac awkwardly automatically tried to respond with his sling-restrained hand. Then he looked at Jack with some concern. "How about you, Jack? I heard you took a tumble down some stairs. You're lucky you didn't break a hip or something.

Jack gave him an easy smile. "I'm gonna pretend you didn't just call me old and just tell you I'm okay," he chuckled. "I won't be peg leg Jack for too long."

Bozer turned back to Mac. "How about you? How long are you … you did actually get it looked at, right?"

Mac dropped his already deep voice down another register. "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

"Oh no you don't, roomie. You're not getting out of answering a simple question by quoting movies. That's a bad habit he's picked up from you, Jack."

"Guilty," Jack laughed. This was going better than he'd hoped. Mac was doing really well. Kid was a natural.

Mac gave Bozer a one shouldered shrug. Then he answered with what was almost totally the truth. "Elliot helped me out when it happened a few days ago and the job at X-com doesn't just come with insurance, it comes with its own infirmary. I'm seeing someone tomorrow to try to fix it up. I'm taking care of this, Boze, I promise."

"Really really?" he asked, glancing at Jack, too.

"Really," Mac assured him.

Jack grinned. "I can even vouch for him, Boze."

Bozer's face slipped into familiar skeptical lines. Mac saw the expression before it had fully formed. He shifted slightly, trying to decide how to head off Bozer's likely more intensive questioning. Jack caught the change in body language and jumped in again.

"I mean, he took some convincing, I'm not gonna lie and say he was all sensible right outta the gate, but he's come around some," Jack said with a teasing lilt. "I was very persuasive."

Bozer laughed and they knew he'd accepted their story. "Well good," Boze said, still smiling. He got up. "I'm supposed to be at work in a few. You okay here one handed?"

"I'll be here for a while if he needs any help, Boze."

"You're on crutches, Jack," Bozer pointed out.

"Well I figure Mac's got both feet and I've got both hands, so between us we make one mostly functional guy."

"There's something wrong with that logic, but I guess I don't have to worry too much about Team Mac and Jack."

"You working late?" Mac asked.

"Probably, the place has been so busy lately. Why?"

"Just I'll probably be gone when you get up. I've got an early appointment tomorrow. So if you wake up and the house is empty, I don't want you to worry."

"I'm not working until late again. I could make waffles for breakfast when you get back tomorrow." He didn't want to say so, but with Mac out of town for work and Jack not randomly stopping by for meals, he'd been at loose ends for the last couple of weeks. He liked having someone around to cook for.

Mac shifted again. Jack noticed but didn't jump in, just sat back wondering why Mac looked so uncomfortable. This was a situation where Mac could totally tell Bozer the truth about work. He was even more surprised when Mac pulled a regretful face and said, "Aw man, thanks Boze, I wish I could be home for that. But after I get done getting set up for physical therapy I'll be at X-com all day, dealing with getting back to work stuff."

Bozer's face fell. "That place was a lot more hours than Ainsley's before. You make sure you're not taking on too much before you heal up. It's sort of … a lot there."

"It is, but I get to do what I'm really good at there, so it's worth the time. I promise it won't let it take over my life. Maybe we could do a big breakfast Sunday when you're off?"

Bozer grinned. "You wanna come over Sunday Jack?"

"For your waffles, man? I'll even set my alarm."

"Alright! Great! See you later!" Bozer headed for the door, grabbing his keys off the counter on his way out.

When the door closed behind him Jack gave a nod of approval. "That went pretty well."

Mac sighed and ran his good hand through his hair. "Yeah. Yeah, it was okay."

"How come you didn't tell him you're getting that surgery tomorrow morning? Already backin' out? … Just curious," Jack hurried to add when Mac glared at him.

"No!" He shook his head. He supposed it was actually a fair question. "You hovering is enough. Boze … You have no idea, man. The dude is like …."

"A mamma grizzly looking out for her cub?"

Mac's face relaxed into a grin. "Pretty much. And I can't deal with Mama Bear Bozer right now. Your Overwatch routine is bad enough." They both chuckled, Jack because he was sure it was true and Mac from simple affection. "Besides, I'll be home sleeping it off by the time he gets home from work. No sense worrying the guy."

"You look like you want to have this surgery about as much as I want to have another breakup fight with my latest ex."

Mac shrugged. "Like I said earlier, it's agreeing to a knife fight I'm definitely gonna lose, but …" He shrugged again. "It'll probably shave months off my total recovery time."

"Patty didn't pressure you to do it did she?"

Mac smiled a little at the almost warning tone that had crept into Jack's voice. He almost wished she really had because he sort of wanted to see Jack line out the boss, and he could tell that's what would happen. "Not really," he hedged. "She did say you'd probably be field ready in a month or two … And I know she thinks surgery is a better idea because to be honest that's what Dr. Rawson said, but Thornton didn't make it an order or anything."

"So why you goin' that route if it's not what you want to do?"

Mac shrugged again.

"I'm not buyin' it," Jack challenged. Mac just raised an eyebrow in return. "You shrug it means either you don't know or you don't want to talk about it. And I don't believe for a minute you don't know why you're doin' a thing."

Mac shook his head with a slight smile. "Fine. You got me. I don't want to do it. At all. And Thornton maybe strongly suggested it would be her preference." Jack opened his mouth like he'd say something but Mac kept going to prevent it. "But I do want to go after O'Neill. Me. Not someone else. I …"

He stopped and closed his eyes. He stayed like that for long enough that Jack was getting ready to get up and sit down next to him. Mac shook himself a little when he heard Jack shift.

"I keep dreaming about him coming back. For you. For me. Hell, for Zwickey. He's from Michigan I think. There's always snow in those dreams with him. I'm not going to sleep easy until I know it's really over. You know?"

"I think I do, but … What's that have to do with your shoulder, bud?" Jack leaned forward, looking intently at Mac's face.

"If I'm medically cleared, if I pass the course she wants me to take … if I do that in time … she'll let me be involved in the takedown." He sighed. "If I try the conservative route I won't to cleared for at least six months and I could still wind up needing surgery. That'd put me a year from going in the field. The Mazari won't wait a year. So neither can I."

Jack nodded, thoughtful. "Well, so long as it's really your decision, kid, if the doc recommended it, it's probably your best bet."

"Yeah," he sighed. "You sure you don't mind driving me tomorrow?"

"Course not. I'll pick you up just like I said, then I'll keep you company until they let you go, bring you home and pack you in ice or whatever they want you to do."

"You don't have to hang around for the surgery, dude. That'll be so boring. I can just call you after."

"I won't be bored. I can pace around on my crutches worryin' about how that knife fight you plan to lose is goin'."

Mac laughed then. It was a very genuine sound. Jack hadn't heard Mac laugh like that in a long time. Then Mac met his gaze, and while he was still smiling, there was something very serious in those startling blue eyes. "Thanks, Jack. For … everything."

"Anytime, kid." He could sense Mac needed a subject change. "Wanna order a pizza and watch Die Hard?"

Mac grinned and nodded. "Sounds good to me. I'm guessing a beer is off the table in light of how I'm going to be spending my morning."

I'm guessin' maybe problyhaps it is," Jack agreed in an exaggeration of his usual drawl.

Mac shook his head with a wry sort of smile as he got out his phone to order pizza and Jack awkwardly started digging in the entertainment center for the right dvd, cussing about his crutches and his leg the whole time..

Mac placed their order and put away his phone and just sat waiting for Jack to queue up the movie. By the time Jack sat down next to Mac on the couch, he noticed the kid fidgeting with a paperclip, not making anything out of it, just kind of mutilating it. Maybe he needed to talk more than he needed a distraction.

"So what do you think about the whole spy school thing? Think you'll learn anything worth knowin'? I don't think I did, I was so good I graduated early."

"You sure you didn't just get kicked out?" Mac asked with a grin, appreciating the conversation.

"I'll have you know that I was the star pupil and the only thing that's kept me from getting asked back as an instructor is how good I am at protecting high value American assets and skinny bomb nerds."

Mac laughed in earnest now. "Yeah, I bet that's what's up." He picked up the remote and started skimming the menu options.

"You think you'll like the job, Mac?" Jack asked a little more seriously.

Mac shrugged. "I think it's a job worth doing. And that's something."

"What'll you do if it isn't what you expect?"

Mac started the movie and gave Jack a very genuine smile, tossing the paperclip onto the coffee table and settling back to watch the movie until the pizza arrived.

"I'll do what I always do?"

"What's that?"

"Improvise."

The End

Coming Soon - Education Is What Remains (Also known as Mac goes to spy school & gets to chase some bad guys and blow some stuff up!)