Mac loosened the bolts holding the truck bench seat in place, thinking that the seat would make a nice makeshift cot for Jack, while they waited for exfil.

The last bolt came free and fell to the floor board. Mac lifted the seat up and let out a hiss, dropping the seat, his broken rib shifted painfully. Broken ribs were the worst, they hurt with every single breath, twist, and turn and a simple cough or sneeze was pure agony.

He tried again, and pushed through the sharp stabbing pain, lifting the seat free of the truck and carrying it through the large opening that served as the loading dock.

Even though he was in the shade of the warehouse, he squinted at the bright light. The rays felt like nails trying to pierce through his eye sockets and into his brain.

The fresh air was worth it though, it was crisp, cool, and smelled loads better than their cement prison.

He set the bench seat down in the rocky grass outside of the opening, then headed

back inside

His stomach dropped and he ran to his partner's side. Jack lay on his back, his bruised face turned toward him with his eyes closed. Even in unconsciousness his features were pinched in pain and his chest rose and fell at an alarming rate.

Rapid shallow breathing is one of the later signs for significant blood loss, it meant that Jack's lower blood volume was struggling to get enough oxygen to his brain.

"Jack… please don't leave me, please." Mac pleaded, his voice breaking. "Hang on brother." Mac said, clearing his throat and gently cupping both sides of the older man's face.

He distantly heard his name being called and quickly zeroed in on the source. The phone lay a couple feet away and appeared to have fallen from Jack's grasp when he went down.

"Riley?"

"Mac, is Jack okay? I mean, how bad is he?" Riley asked nervously.

"He's gonna be okay Riley." Mac answered with a confidence he didn't feel.

"Don't lie to me, Mac. Do you really think he might not make it? How bad is he?"

Mac dropped his head and squeezed his eyes shut, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"It's bad…" Mac admitted. "I've never seen him like this before." Tears rolled down his face before he realized what was happening.

Somehow saying it out loud made it more real.

Mac wiped the moisture from his face and put his hand on Jack's chest, feeling the fast but steady beats, "If there's one thing I know about Jack it's that he has an iron will, he'll keep fighting, Riley."

Mac placed the phone next to him and put it on speaker.

"Jack, hey buddy, I need you to wake up okay?" Mac gently tapped the least bruised looking side of his friend's face. "Jack, come on big guy."

Two brown slits appeared as Jack slowly pried his eyes open, which appeared to be a monumental effort.

"There you are." Mac smiled with relief.

"Mac?" Jack rasped, confused. Mac winced in sympathy at the sound of his partner's voice, he sounded like he had been gargling with broken glass.

"How much longer until exfil?"

"About forty seven minutes, Mac." Riley quickly replied.

"Ri?" Jack questioned, still kinda out of it.

"Yeah Jack, I'm here, just so you know, you scared the shit out of me when you decided to take a nap in the middle of our conversation."

"Sorry kiddo…didn't mean to."

"It's okay Jack, there's no need to apologize, especially since it's physically painful to hear you talk right now." The concern in her voice was poorly hidden.

Jack attempted to chuckle and found out quickly that was a very bad idea. Fire ignited in his side and his face crumbled in fresh pain.

Mac was hyper focused on his partner and he saw the second that his friend needed him and tapped the mute button on the phone, preventing Riley from hearing Jack's anguished groan. For a brief moment, Mac wished that he had his own mute button, that he hadn't been subjected to watching and hearing his friends suffering for the last three days.

He took it back immediately when he thought about the alternative. He couldn't bear to think about how awful and helpless he would have felt in Rileys shoes.

As much as he hated having to witness all the pain his partner had to endure, he was thankful Jack hadn't gone through all that alone.

Mac put his hand on his partner's shoulder and waited a few moments while Jack got the pain under control.

"Mac… Jack… anyone copy?"

"Hey, we lost you for a moment there, must be a bad connection," Mac fibbed.

Jack locked eyes with his partner, silently thanking him. Mac replied with a nod and a smirk.

It seemed like they had always had the ability to communicate that way. Often conveying with their eyes what their mouths wouldn't allow for fear of sounding unmacho.

The phone beeped signaling the battery was at ten percent. "Well shit."

"What is it, Mac? Bozer asked, announcing his presence.

"Looks like I'm gonna have to cut comms, this phone is nearly dead."

"No no no, can't you come up with a way to charge it or something?"

Mac understood why his roommate was reluctant to cut off communication with him, if Bozer had been MIA for nearly four days Mac would be the same way.

"If I really have to, I will, but for now, Riley, can you keep an eye on satellite and call if you see any unwanted visitors headed our way?"

"You got it, Mac."

"Thanks, Ri." Mac ended the call and turned his focus back to his partner, who was having a difficult time keeping his eyes open, each blink was getting longer and slower.

He was afraid if Jack passed out again he might not wake up the next time.

"What do you say we get you off this concrete?"

"Kay." Jack answered.

Mac put his arm under Jack's shoulders and slowly lifted him up to sitting, his breath caught when the gunshot wound pulled painfully. "I'm sorry, buddy. Let's get you outside and comfortable, then I'll let you rest. Yeah?

Jack nodded once in agreement. Mac ducked under his arm, then slowly stood.

Jack groaned, he was so cold, his whole body was stiff and he ached all over, but he was with his best friend, his brother, and they were both still alive, for the moment at least.