The Monster

Nicknames are well earned. Jack's past comes back to haunt him. The team tries to help the stubborn Jack, but will they be too late?

AUTHOR's NOTE: I had trouble with my iPad. Just got it fixed. Sorry for the wait! I'm thinking about writing more Macgyver pieces. Anyway... Last chapter ENJOY!

In the Light

Jack was getting his belongings together. The two days at the hospital were incredibly boring. All Jack wanted to do was go home and relax. Nothing about the hospital was relaxing. The place smelt sterile. The food was bland. His tv remote barely worked. Jack felt like he was going to go insane. Luckily for him Matty was able to pull some strings and get his released under the care of Phoenix doctors. Jack still felt very sore.

"Are you alright?" Diane asked helping him stand.

"I'm okay." Jack smiled. Jack waddled to the bathroom slowly. Jack held his side. Jack rinsed his face and held himself up by the sink. The cuts on his knuckles were scabbed over.

"How are you feeling?" A quiet voice said behind him. It startled him as he stood upright and turned. Jack immediately regretted the sudden movement and trying to hide his pain.

"Liz, you scared me." Jack said with a heavy sigh.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"I'm alright." Jack said looking down. He felt ashamed. He was unable to meet his sister's gaze. "You know... You... I'm sorry for leaving like that... I just..."

"I get it. You don't have to apologize, Jack. I don't know what I was expecting to happen. I knew she'd want you there, and I just... I don't know I thought you would be upset if you weren't there." She said playing with her hair just as uncomfortable as Jack.

"I would have," Jack chuckled. "I appreciate the phone call." Jack said with a nervous smile as they finally looked at eachother.

"We still are family. Dysfunctional but family." She said as he tried to walk back out to o he could sit. Liz came to his aid.

"Thanks... What's going to happen to Ryan?" Jack could not help but answer, and even after all the years and terrible things Ryan had done to them he knew that Liz already checked up on him.

"He's been arrested for ma..." She said as he eased himself on the bed. "And you... And numerous probation violations, guns, and drugs. He's going away for a long time." She said.

"I'm glad you're still doing well." Jack said giving her hand a light squeeze. She smiled at him.

"I have a great support system here. Hank is my rock. I even have some friends." They both shared a laugh.

"Awesome." Jack said with a smile.

"Maybe... Maybe we can see each other more. Hank and I are going to sell the house. We are going to move closer to Austin. It's closer to his work, and it's not Belton."

"Yeah... Yeah, I think that'll be a great idea. I could help you move. When you're ready? Um... Or when I'm ready?" Jack chuckled holding his side.

"I'd like that." She smiled. Jack looked in the doorway and saw the team standing there ready to leave.

"I think my ride is here." Jack said smiling at his friends. Liz helped Jack to his feet. Jack engulfed his sister in a hug. As tight as his sore ribs would allow.

This hug was a new start for sibling pair. After the dreadful day with the tree and all the others before their relationship changed. Jack felt guilty. He was unable to protect his brother and sister, and his mother was locked away in a insane asylum. Jack felt he ruined his family. Liz had askew nightmares for years and crippling PTSD. Anytime she saw her brothers she'd be lost in a frenzy. Jack senior, saw the progress she made with her foster family and decided it would be more detrimental to take her out. Jack senior, took Jack, as Ryan was locked away in juvenile detention for attempting to burn down the group home where they were temporarily place. The Dalton children's relationship was a roller coaster the highs were in the clouds and the lows were fist fights at funerals. However after all that Jack and Liz were the only ones left.

The plane ride home was pretty uneventful but it was obvious to everyone that Jack was back. Regular Jack. Everyone wanted to take care of him and help him knowing that Jack would do the same for any of them. Jack appeared totally content sitting on the plane under her ragged blanket playing footsie with Diane.

"I'm alright." Jack said insisting on unlocking his door by himself. His welcome mat was crooked, and Jack was unsure if it was his medication making him paranoid or if someone broke into his house. "Mac, did you pick my lock?"

"Did I scratch it?" Mac teased.

"No." Jack said inspecting his door knob.

"Then, no, I did not." Mac said with a smile. Jack finally opened the door.

"Uhh... Make yourself at home. I have to go to the bathroom." Jack said as he gimped to the bathroom.

"Miss Riley, will you help me cook?" Bozer asked as he pulled the food out of his recyclable bags.

"Absolutely." Riley said with a smile.

"I'm going to get him a fresh set of clothes." Diane said as she tidied up as she walked.

"How are you feeling?" Mac asked Jack as he came out into his living room.

"I'm alright." Jack said quietly.

"What is this?!" Diane said coming out holding the old letter tightly in her hands. Jack groaned. He knew she must've read it. He knew that Mac probably read it, or read the one Jack wrote for Mac. "Jack, what is this?"

"Where'd you get that?" Jack ask as she handed it to him. She had a mixture of emotions across her face. Her hips placed on her hips as she stared him down.

"I found it on your bed."

"It's part of my will." Jack said and she glared at him.

"Why... Wha..." Diane was rendered speechless.

"I wanted to make sure that you and Riley would be alright if anything ever happened to me. I wanted to make sure that y'all were always taken care of because I know I didn't do a good job of that when I was around... The CIA would have told y'all that I died in some unfortunate accident... I don't know, I wanted to make sure that something good could come out of my life." Jack said looking at the paper shrugging his paper. After Jack and Diane broke up, when he left, Jack was started down a dangerous path. Jack remembered the guilt he felt and still had for leaving. He was not sure what Diane would say or do so he kept his head down looking at the letter he wrote years ago. Diane hugged him. Hugged him tight without a care for his sore ribs.

"This is the Jack I remember. The Jack I fell in love with." She whispered in his ear still holding him. She kissed him as she was overcome with emotion. Jack smiled as the pair forgot for a moment where they were.

"Look, I know I owe y'all an explanation." Jack said looking at his younger friends. "I should've told you what was going on. It was not that I didn't trust you. I just didn't want you to know, and think of me differently. My childhood was rough and it's apart of my life I choose not to talk, or relive it. Being home it and around makes me realize that I was only a bad decision or two from ending up like Ryan... It's unsettling..." Jack said shrugging his shoulders.

"Jack, you're one of the coolest people I know. I know you'd do anything for anybody. You're good people, Jack." Bozer said breaking the awkward silence. "You have nothing to worry about."

"Besides, we'd let you know if you went off the deep end." Riley added with a smile.

"Jack, I've known you for a long time. I would not have anyone else have my back, or be his friend. When I separated from the military you looked after me, and kept me outta trouble." Mac said smiling.

"This calls for a group hug." Bozer announced walking over to Jack.

"Bozer, don't hug me." Jack warned but Riley marched over hugging him tight. The others followed suit.

Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving. It is loyalty through good and bad times. It settles for less than perfection and makes allowances for human weaknesses. - Ann Landers

Please Review! I'm thinking about making a crossover between CSI and Macgyver. Not sure. Sorry again for the long wait. Anyway, let me know what you think?