I just finished tossing the feta through the salad when the front door opened.
"That better be you, Mac," I called out.
The sound of keys being dropped into the bowl by the front door indicated that it was either Mac or Bozer, or possibly Jack.
"Yea, it's me," Mac said as he walked toward the kitchen. "Making dinner already?"
He came to stand next to me at the kitchen counter as I wrapped the bowl, bumping my shoulder as he looked at what I'd made.
"Rocket and veggie salad?" he asked.
I hummed in agreement. "Something light and easy. Matty let you out early today, then?"
"Considering she sent us into the Canadian wilderness for the last five days, I wouldn't say this is exactly being let out early," Mac commented as he poured himself a glass of water.
"True, true," I laughed, putting the salad in the fridge.
"So, what are your plans for the next," I looked at my watch. "Three hours."
Mac snorted. "My go bag is a mess, and I still don't feel like I washed the river water out of my hair."
I looked him over and Mac raised an eyebrow at my obvious gaze. It was my turn to snort.
"You look fine to me," I replied. "And I couldn't smell pond water on you last night."
Mac rolled his eyes at that, his arms crossed over his chest.
"But fine," I conceded. "If you feel that you need a shower then go take one and I'll sort your washing."
"I'm an adult, I can do my own washing," Mac protested.
"My white t-shirt begs to differ," I argued back. "I have stuff I want to wash anyway. So just let me, yea?"
"I was going to take a bath, so you can do the washing if you join me once it's in the machine," Mac countered.
It was my turn to raise my eyebrows. I'd seen the bruises on his back and side last night.
"Not like that," he sighed. "I missed you, okay."
Then, after a pause.
"And I don't know how well I'll go at washing my hair with my ribs."
"Go bag is in our bedroom?" I asked, turning to leave the kitchen.
"By the foot of the bed," Mac nodded. "I'll run the bath."
"With the nice salts," he added before I could ask.
As nice as the bath was, it did go cold eventually and the washing needed to be taken from the machine and hung out.
Mac and Bozer had been away for the majority of the week, and I had been working strange shifts at Phoenix before being called in on what should have been my day off because Mac's team had returned. As a result, none of the housework had been done in far too long.
So, despite just wanting to sit and do nothing, we proceeded to split up the household chores. Cleaning the kitchen had been left for Bozer as it was his domain, and I'm not his mother so his own washing was his own problem.
Everything felt a little fuzzy as I finished up my dinner. I knew that Mac had been watching me as we ate and, despite my best efforts, I don't think I had done a very good job of convincing him I was fine. When I stood, my head throbbed from a sleep deprivation headache.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Mac asked.
He must have seen my wince when I stood.
"I'm just a little tired," I sighed. "I'll be fine."
"You don't HAVE to go tonight," Mac argued.
"We're like two weeks from competition," I replied. "Not going isn't really an option."
"No offense, but you look like you're gonna pass out."
"So did you when you got in yesterday, but did I say anything? Nooo."
"I'd just come off a five day mission!" Mac protested.
"Hey, look at me. Please?" Mac asked, voice going soft.
I sighed and turned around.
"They'd understand, you know," he said to me.
"Oh look, Paige is here to get me," I replied as we both heard the crunch of tyres on the drive.
I picked up my bag as I almost ran to the door. But then stopped and looked back at my dishes sitting on the sink.
"Leave it," Mac shook his head. "I'll deal with it."
"Love you," I shouted back over my shoulder as I ran out the door.
I heard Mac laugh as the door shut behind me.
Paige and I were chatting in her car as we drove along in the, thankfully light, LA traffic.
"You look tired," Paige commented.
"Yea, that's what Mac said too," I said with a frown. "But I'll be right. Not the first time I've gotten by on less than eight hours sleep. Though, I actually got a full night last night…"
"Do you get insomnia?" Paige asked in interest.
"Occasionally, but nah not this time," I said with a sad smile. "Mac was away for work the last week and I didn't sleep so well."
"You sound like an army wife," she said to me.
I snorted. It definitely felt like that some days, especially the team was out on a mission. Though on the whole I was more informed than an army wife, and I got to see everyone a whole lot more on average.
I must have zoned out for a second and Paige was looking at me with a strange expression.
"You know, if Mac and I had met a few years earlier I probably would have been an army wife," I told her. "He was an EOD tech for three years."
"And you said he works in a think tank now?" Paige wanted to check. "That seems, like a big change."
I shrugged. "Two years MIT before the army. His brain just works in a different way to everyone else's."
I was saved having to explain or make an excuse for my boyfriend's unconventional, and now highly classified, career choices by us pulling into the carpark.
Dance class was as exhausting as I had expected it to be.
The slight headache that I noticed at dinner was still there and pounding with every step and jump I made. In the few moments that we stopped to clarify anything, the world seemed floaty and distant. The thought did cross my mind that maybe, just maybe, Mac had been right and I shouldn't have gone to class today. Then I remembered that he and the others had completed missions injured and, on one memorable occasion, deliriously sick and I pushed through the fatigue.
Despite my determination to attend class, I was relieved when the end came. Tiredly, I pulled the chair I'd been using as a prop to the side of the room. People were chattering around me but I was mostly ignoring them as some dancer's raced to change shoes for the next class and others were discussing their children.
"Long day?" Robin asked as we walked out of the studio together.
"What? Oh, bit of a long week," I replied.
"You aren't driving home, are you?" she asked. "You seem a bit out of it."
I shook my head.
"Paige picked me up tonight," I assured her. "And I plan on going home and straight to bed."
I heard a commotion at the other end of the corridor, where the foyer was. I was immediately on alert, the spike of adrenaline pushing the sleep fuzziness away as my heart started pounding. Even as I quickened my pace I was trying to work out how quickly I could reach my phone and send an alert. However, as I turned the corner and came into the foyer, all the adrenaline faded. There was a small group of dancers talking over each other, asking a myriad of questions to the new person who was standing there calmly.
"Hey," Mac called to me.
He was leaning against the wall, hands in his jacket pockets and smiling at me.
"This hunk here for you?" One of the women asked.
"Yup," I said, popping the 'p' in a bad habit that I'd picked up from Mac.
I sat down to swap my dance shoes for runners and spoke to Mac.
"Paige was going to take me home. Why are you here?" I asked.
Then my heart started racing again. "Is everyone okay?"
My mind immediately went to worst case scenarios even though Mac looked totally at ease.
"Everyone's fine. Geez, how much trouble do you think we can get into in an hour?" He asked.
I stood and crossed my arms. "Do you really want me to answer that question?"
I couldn't help but smile at him all the same.
Mac took a hand out of his jacket and held it up, keys jangling.
"Thought I'd be a good partner and come and pick you up," he said sweetly.
"Aww, isn't young love cute?" someone said behind me.
I felt my cheeks go red and hid it by quickly walking to Mac.
"Those aren't the jeep keys," I muttered.
"No," Mac said, kissing me quickly. "Jack asked for a hand with the Shelby. I'm checking the engine's right."
"Whose car is that?!" Demi called from behind, peering out the window.
I walked over to where Demi was looking, even though I had a very strong feeling I knew what she was looking at.
"Mine," Mac said from behind me. "Well, it's a friend's but I'm taking it for a spin."
"To pick your girl up from dancing?" Robin asked. "Bit of overkill."
"It's only the second time I've ridden in it," I said. "I'll take what I can get. Jack's fiercely protective of his Shelby."
"Right. Jack let me take the Shelby for our second date," Mac mentioned.
There was a chorus of 'aww's' and all round cooing at that as everyone started to collect their gear.
"If no one minds, I'm going to take this one home," Mac said to the room at large. "I've got to return the Shelby on the way."
He turned to me. "You know we can't keep Jack up too late, he gets grumpy."
"He's always grumpy," I returned. "It comes from…" I went to say 'watching your back' but changed the sentence at the last minute. "Having to deal with people all day."
I let out a deep breath and closed my eyes once I'd sunk into the passenger seat.
With a sideways glance at me, Mac started the engine and pulled out of the car park and towards Jack's.
"Glad the engine isn't having trouble," I murmured. "Not that I'd ever doubt your skills. But I'm too tired to properly appreciate the sight of you elbow deep in a project at the moment."
"Glad to know you do trust engineers with, you know, engines," he laughed.
"I was going to suggest swinging by the diner on the way home but you look beat."
"We can still go if you want," I offered.
"Kinda ruins the point of a date if you're half asleep," he told me.
My shoulders slumped.
"Now I just feel bad. You put all this effort into being all sweet and I spoiled it by being tired even though YOU'RE the one who was on a five day mission."
Mac snorted. "And I'm the one who's learnt to live with intermittent insomnia and army induced sleep deprivation."
"We could, compromise?" I suggested. "Get pancakes or something from the diner and eat them at home?"
"Sure," Mac agreed easily. "But let's return the Shelby first and then get the food. Pretty sure neither of us wants to listen to Jack bitching about greasy food in his baby."
I shuddered at the thought.
I zoned out for the rest of the short drive to Jack's apartment, rousing as the general car noise and movement came to a stop.
We walked to his front door and I huddled close to Mac's side as I started to cool from dancing.
"She run alright, hoss?" Jack asked as he opened the door.
"Not a squeal," Mac replied, tossing him the keys. "Same can't be said for a class of dancers."
Jack raised his eyebrows and looked across at me.
"Not me," I said, raising my free hand. "I don't scream, in public."
"Okay, no I'm gonna stop you right there," Jack said with a grimace.
"Do ya wanna come in for a drink or something?" he asked.
"Thanks but not this time, Jack," Mac said. "We might head home."
He inclined his head slightly toward me, still curled into his side.
"Sweetheart, you look dead on your feet," Jack said.
"You all say the nicest things," I grumbled. "I'll be fine. We can come in for a bit."
Both men shared a look, and I rolled my eyes. When it came to the younger members of his team, Jack was a mother hen. And I feared that I might have just brought that trait out again.
"I know you had plans, but take our girl home, Mac."
"That's the new plan. Maybe grab a dessert from the diner and watch a movie," Mac explained.
"Aren't you two just the cutest," Jack grinned. "Now go on, get."
He made a shooing motion at us, and I let go of Mac just long enough to give Jack a quick hug before we turned and walked to where Mac's Jeep was parked.
"Do you want me to order?" Mac asked.
"Nah," I replied, "I'll come in."
I slipped out of the car and we walked in. Only once we were inside did I remember that I was still in my dance gear. A T-shirt and exercise leggings wasn't that unusual in LA, but it wasn't my usual choice in clothing so I felt a little self conscious.
Mac snagged two menus from the counter and passed one to me, eyes scanning down the page for anything he wanted.
I did the same, helplessly looking over the whole thing. Nothing on the menu seemed as appealing as the thought of my bed. Making decisions was often a trial on a good day, and tonight was not a good day but eventually I found two items that seemed tempting.
"Know what you want?" Mac asked, placing his menu on the counter.
I hummed non committally.
"Having trouble making a decision?" he asked gently.
"Yea. Too tired, brain can't make decisions," I sighed. "I have options but..."
"What are the options? Maybe we can just get both?" Mac asked.
"Cheesecake or waffle bowl," I said. "But don't get both. I'll pick one."
I placed the menu on the counter and frowned at it.
"What a hand?"
I nodded.
"Fruit sweet or sugar sweet?" He asked.
"Umm, fruit," I replied. "I think. But that doesn't help, there's a blueberry cheesecake."
"Okay. Warm or cold?"
"Warm," I admitted after a moment. "Waffle bowl?"
"Yea. You good with that?" he asked.
I nodded and Mac caught the attention of the waitress to order.
The smell of food kept me mostly awake for the drive home, and despite not previously feeling hungry, my stomach was grumbling by the time we parked.
"I'm going to change," I told Mac, dumping the bag of food on the kitchen counter and racing for the bedroom. I didn't hear Mac reply, and I was both changed and snugly wrapped in blankets by the time Mac reached the bedroom.
"Comfy?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Perfectly," I replied.
"Good. You can hold all this then."
He passed across the bag of food, as well as two sets of knives and forks.
There was no point grabbing the food out or starting until Mac had joined me, so I leant back against the headboard and watched him.
"Seriously," Mac asked when he caught me looking.
"What?"
Mac just shook his head at me and pulled on an old t-shirt before joining me in bed.
"What do you want to watch?" he asked.
"You pick," I replied, pulling the food out. "I'll probably fall asleep as soon as I finish eating."
"You know I'll pick a science documentary or something, right?" Mac checked, taking what looked like a container of fries.
"If I had a problem with it, I wouldn't have suggested it," I told him.
While Mac found something to watch, I opened my container of food. I was greeted with the sweet smell of waffles and syrup as well as chopped strawberries and apple, all topped with whipped cream.
"This will do," Mac said, putting the remote down and opening his own food. I was right that he had ordered fries, these ones topped with cheese and bacon pieces.
"That looks interesting," I said nodding towards the TV, "And that looks stupidly unhealthy."
He raised an eyebrow at me and looked pointedly down at my food.
"Hey, I have fruit. Look, apple AND strawberry," I said defensively, "Yours looks, quite frankly, like a heart attack in a box."
" 'm going for a run tomorrow morning, and helping Jack teach a body combat class," Mac told me through a mouthful of food.
"Eugh, are you going to wake me at some stupid hour when you get up then?" I groaned.
"I'll try not to," he said, bumping me softly on the shoulder.
"Thanks."
I managed to finish my food, and watch half of the show before my head started aching again and my eyelids started to droop.
Mac glanced across at me, attention still mostly on the show, and took the container from me.
"I'll put it in the bin later," he whispered.
I tried to reply but all that came out was a mumble. I turned to look at him and Mac smiled gently before giving me a soft kiss and patting the pillow.
"Lie down," he said. "I'll deal with everything. And I promise I won't wake you tomorrow."
I did as he said, sliding down the bed and burrowing into the blankets.
"I won't really mind if you wake me," I told him quietly. "Means you're the first thing I see in the morning."
"Well, that's incredibly sweet," he said. "Wish I'd thought of something like that."
" 's okay," I slurred, sleep already pulling me under. "Know you love me."
If Mac said anything after that, I didn't hear it. But I didn't need to. I knew.
