Jack was proud of MacGyver, to the point that he was beaming from ear to ear as the kid handed over the bio weapon they had grabbed back from the bad guys. Not that it had been easy. Without Mac's quick thinking the bomb would have gone off setting the weapon off and killing thousands and thousands of people.

"Ready to go home, bud?" Jack asked, nudging Mac in the direction of the helicopter after the guys in the bio suits took the weapon away.

"You have no idea," MacGyver replied, dusting himself off a bit. Which made him wince a bit, since he had acquired a few bumps and bruises along the way. He climbed into the helicopter and buckled up. The ride home he was able to get lost in his thoughts a bit, because Jack kept up a running commentary all the way back.

After setting down and exiting the helicopter, Jack clapped MacGyver on the shoulder. "How about we meet up at your place? I'll bring the beer and Riley."

Mac nodded. "Sounds like a plan." They entered head quarters, did their debrief, then headed off their separate ways. MacGyver headed home, chatted with Bozer for a bit, took a shower, then made his way out to the fire pit with a half a dozen photos in hand.

While Bozer was getting dressed for work, MacGyver tossed the pictures of Nikki and the two of them into the fire. He just wished he could burn away his heartache as easily. Soon after Jack arrived with Riley, Bozer met Riley, Bozer headed off to work and Thornton showed up.

It was nice hanging with his friends, enjoying a good beer and a spectacular sunset. MacGyver was even pleased with the new name they had come up with. Phoenix Foundation. After everything that had happened, they had come out stronger than ever. Well, mostly. Nikki's betrayal still felt like a punch in the gut and his heart still felt heavy with grief. She wasn't dead, but after what she had done, she was dead to him. If only he could flip a switch and turn off his emotions. Losing her had hurt like hell, but the pain of her betrayal was even worse.

Jack kept an eye on MacGyver as the group drank and joked and watched the sun go down. Thornton was the first to head out and Riley asked for a ride. She had enjoyed her first mission, but she confessed it was tiring and she was ready to sleep for a week.

"You'll get used to it," Jack informed her, before waving goodbye.

"Drive careful," MacGyver called out, remaining put when Thornton told him they'd see their own way out. Then he and Jack were alone and he felt his friend watching him. "Take a picture, it lasts longer," Mac drawled.

Jack snorted. "Stick to your day job, bro. You're so not funny." He took a swig of beer then asked the burning question, "You really okay?" Mac had said he would be, but Jack knew the kid was hurting.

MacGyver sighed, studying his empty beer bottle and debating if he wanted another one. "I'm really okay, Jack," he stated. Deciding that water was a better option, Mac pushed himself to his feet. Which made his ribs protest and he wobbled a bit, hissing in pain as he caught himself.

"Whoa...hold up, bud." Jack was on his feet and gripping his arm to steady him. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." MacGyver tugged his arm free and headed inside to get his water. He wasn't surprised to find Jack right behind him. "You're infiltrating my personal space bubble and it's making me very uncomfortable," Mac teased, as he reached the fridge and pulled out a water bottle. He winced as he screwed open the top, suddenly feeling every bruise and bump from each punch the guy in the truck had landed on him. Why did bad guys always have fists like sledge hammers, anyway? Being slammed into the side of the truck and the floor of the truck hadn't been much fun either. Come to think about it, being choked had sucked as well.

Jack was watching MacGyver closely. "I saw that big dude wailing on you, kid. And you landed hard when you parachuted out of the back of the truck. I know you're hurting, I just want to know what the damage is."

Mac locked eyes with his friend. "The damage is insignificant, subject closed." He could tell by the look on Jack's face that he wanted to make it an issue, but it was so not an issue.

"Let me see," Jack countered, moving to stand in front of MacGyver.

"See what?" Mac frowned at him.

Rolling his eyes, Jack reached out and tugged at the front of MacGyver's shirt. "Let me see the damage. I want to make sure you're okay."

MacGyver took a step back, coming up against the countertop. "I just told you, I'm fine."

"Prove it," Jack countered. "Take your shirt off and show me."

"No." MacGyver made to slide to the right so he could step around his friend.

Only for Jack to cut him off. "The fact that you won't let me see the damage means you're hurt worse than you're letting on, which means I really want to see for myself now. So you can take your shirt off or I can bundle you in the car and we can go visit the ER."

MacGyver scowled at Jack, mainly because he knew he would force the issue, on way or the other. Setting his water bottle on the counter, Mac unbuttoned his shirt. Gripping the sides he pulled them opened, revealing his chest and torso to Jack's concerned gaze. "There...see? I'm fine." Mac made to close the shirt but Jack gripped his wrists, stopping him.

"Nice try." He pulled Mac's hands back before gripping the shirt ends and tugging. "All the way off. Now." His clipped tone revealed how serious he was.

"Whatever." MacGyver yanked it off, succeeding mostly in making every hurt and ache make itself known. Holding his arms out he glared at Jack. "There. Happy?"

Jack was too busy cataloguing all the bruising revealed to him, to notice how cranky MacGyver was. He brushed his fingertips over a few spots, making Mac hiss. "I know you're never going to be big and bulky, bro...but you're taking this lean thing to a whole nother level. You seriously need to get some padding on your bones. I can count the bones in your ribcage." He put a hand on the kid's shoulder and spun him around, wincing at the bruising on his shoulder blades and down the center of his back. "I can also feel every knob of your spine," he stated, as he ran a fingertip along the bony ridges.

MacGyver tried to bite his tongue, but he was tired of having this conversation. Whirling around to face his partner he snapped, "Are you done?" Only to yelp in pain when Jack reached out and pressed his fingertips against a particularly large bruise on his left ribcage. "OW!" He glared daggers at his friend."

"Not for nothing, but if you had more padding, you wouldn't get hurt so much when the bad guys, who are twice your size, punch you!" Jack snapped back. He wasn't really angry with MacGyver, he was just mad that his friend was hurt and he hadn't been their to protect him.

"It's just some bruising," MacGyver countered, grabbing his shirt and shrugging it back on. "And stop picking on me for being lean." He knew Jack wasn't being mean and that he was just looking out for Mac's best interests, but it was still aggravating.

Jack snorted. "The word you're looking for is skinny, kid. You may be fit but you're too damn skinny." He held up a hand to halt MacGyver's protest. "Look, I get it. After Nikki died, you went off your feed a bit. No surprise there. But be forewarned, I'm going to make it my mission to fatten you up."

MacGyver almost laughed out loud. "Good luck with that." Bozer had been making that same threat since they were kids, and he'd gotten no where. Re-buttoning his shirt, MacGyver resisted the urge to wince. Since Jack had felt the need to prod and press at his bruises, they were aching more than before.

"Ice," Jack stated randomly, reaching into the freezer and pulling out an ice pack. He held it out to MacGyver. "Ice the worst of it, it'll help. Take it from someone who knows." He'd had more than his fair share of bruises in the past twenty plus years.

"I'll do it later." MacGyver ignored the ice pack in lieu of grabbing his water bottle and heading back out to the fire pit.

Jack followed him, waiting for the kid to sit before purposefully placing the ice pack on his ribcage. "Stop being so damn stubborn and ice it," he ordered. He waited, half expecting MacGyver to fling the ice pack at his head, but instead his young friend held it against his side with one hand, even as he heaved a dramatic sigh in response. "Good boy," Jack drawled, then he chuckled when Mac gave him the finger.

Although he would never admit it out loud, the ice did feel good, so Mac leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He sensed Jack settling into the chair next to him and MacGyver felt a wave of contentment wash over him. It hadn't been the best of days in some ways, but they had saved thousands upon thousands of lives today, so that was a plus. Nikki's betrayal was a hard pill to swallow, but a part of Mac couldn't help but be glad that she was still alive. He just wasn't ready to deal with what that really meant. But he could, and would, worry about that tomorrow.

"Hey, Mac?" Jack spoke in a soft drawl.

"Yeah?" Mac turned his head and opened one eye.

Jack grinned at him. "You hungry? Because I'm feeling like a pepperoni pizza right about now."

Mac sighed. "Don't take this personally, but...I hate you."

"Pepperoni it is." Jack ducked the ice pack that wasn't meant to actually hit him, even as he pulled out his phone. He had the pizza place on speed dial, so he placed the order even as he got up to retrieve the ice pack which he offered back to MacGyver.

"Still hate you." MacGyver accepted the ice pack and sighed in relief as he replaced it on his aching ribs.

Jack patted him on the shoulder. "Keep telling yourself that." He relaxed back into his chair and closed his eyes.

MacGyver followed suit.

"Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow, bro," Jack said, holding out his fist.

Without opening his eyes, MacGyver fist bumped back.

THE END