AN: This is the twenty-fifth installment of my personal challenge to write a tag for every episode. This is a tag to 2x04, X-Ray + Penny. It has some missing scenes, and an expanded ending. This has been an absolute joy to write, although it is a little self-indulgent in the h/c lol. The title and several of the lines in this fic come from the Taylor Swift song of the same name. I encourage you to listen to the song before reading. I hope you like it, and please leave a review!

The throng of people continued to crowd around Mac, saying things to each other, trying to talk to him, and pulling him off the road and onto the sidewalk. Mac couldn't pay attention to any of it. He kept flinching back from their touch, but the people didn't seem to realize it. His breathing continued to speed up, getting faster and faster until his dizziness had nearly doubled. He needed Jack. He needed Jack now.

"Phone?" Mac asked, struggling to get the word out. "Can I use your phone, please?" He repeated. Mac was still on the ground on his side, trying to slow his breathing.

"I've already called 911," came a voice above him. No, they didn't get it. He didn't need the phone for 911, he needed the phone for Jack. He needed his partner to be there when the ambulance got there, which would be unlikely if he couldn't contact the man within the next few seconds.

"I need Jack," he said, hoping someone would just give him the benefit of the doubt, and their phone. Luckily, someone did take pity on him, and reached down to place their phone in Mac's shaking hand. He dialed the number he knew by heart as quickly as he could, but his fingers weren't cooperating with him the way they should have been, making the usually simple task take much longer.

"Dalton," came Jack's voice. He'd answered on the first ring.

"Jack?" Mac said, more as a question than a greeting. He'd never been more relieved to hear his partner's voice.

"Mac? Oh my gosh, are you okay? Where are you?" he asked. Jack's voice was thick with emotion, and Mac could faintly hear the voices of Riley and Bozer in the background. They had to be tracing the call. "I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise. I'm comin' for ya, buddy. It's gonna be okay," Jack promised.

"Please, Jack." Mac hated how weak, how scared he sounded, but all he could think of was what Murdoc has been planning on doing to him. He'd been tortured before, but he knew that whatever Murdoc had planned for him would be considerably worse than anything he'd ever endured. The psychopath would have tortured him in every way possible. Mac shuddered, remembering the man's lusty gaze and delight at the idea of seeing Mac's blood. He needed Jack to be there, with him, now, or else he might lose it. All of these people around him kept trying to talk to him, trying to get him to talk, touching him. He couldn't take it. He needed Jack.

"It's gonna be okay, kiddo. I'll be there in just a minute or two, traffic laws be damned. Can you put someone on the phone who can tell me more about if you're okay? You can take the phone back at any moment. I'm not going anywhere, I'm only gettin' closer to ya as we speak."

"O-okay," Mac replied, once again hating the fear that he let seep into his voice. He knew Jack was only on the phone, but it still felt like the man was leaving him as he shakily held the phone up to the man who'd given it to him, motioning for the man to talk.

"Hello?" the man said in a confused voice.

Mac couldn't hear what Jack was saying, but he would hazard a guess that his partner was asking about his condition, and anything the passerby could say about what had happened to him.

"He looks high, or sick, or something, I don't know. He crawled out a manhole, then collapsed on the side of the road." A quick pause. "No, no he's not bleeding. Wait, there's something on his arm, like where an IV goes in. Is he an addict?" Mac almost smiled at the question, knowing Jack would be exploding at the man and using all of the profanities he refused to use in front of Mac - something about protecting his innocence or whatever, even though Mac was no stranger himself to foul language. "Yikes, sorry, I'm sure your little brother's not an addict. Wait if he got kidnapped, what if the crook is still around? Should I be running?" he asked. Another explosion from Jack most likely. Even though his partner couldn't be there, there was no way he would let the man on the phone with him turn tail and leave Mac alone without his lifeline to Jack. "Okay, alright, I'll stay. I hear the sirens- hello? Hello? I think he hung up..." the man muttered to no one in particular.

Mac could hear screeching tires and knew it had to be Jack. Only he could beat an ambulance to his partner's position. He continued to focus on slowing his breathing and heart rate as he heard a car door slam shut.

"Mac!" Jack shouted, running over to the blond. He quickly fell to the ground beside his partner and scooped him up into his arms. "Mac, oh my gosh you're okay, you're okay," he said, possibly more to himself than to Mac. The blond gripped the front of Jack's shirt with a strength that surprised him. The drug had weakened him severely, but he was still gripping Jack like a lifeline. He tried to keep his emotions in check, squeezing his eyes shut and letting out a deep, shuddering breath. Jack kept one hand on the back of Mac's neck and the other on the kid's back, rubbing soothing circles in an attempt to calm him down. "You're okay, buddy. You're okay. I'll never let you go, it's gonna be okay," he said.Mac couldn't stop the few tears that fell as Jack continued to hold him and whisper reassurances in his ear. He had so many overwhelming emotions, and whatever he was drugged with was not helping. He hated himself for seeming so weak, but at least the bystanders had moved away to give him and Jack a little bit more space.

"Don't leave me here alone," Mac pleaded, refusing to let up his grip on Jack. The sirens were there and Mac didn't want Jack to leave him to the EMTs. He only wanted Jack to stay, to keep him safe, to remind him that everything was going to be okay.

"I'm not goin' anywhere, kid. No one can hurt you now, it's gonna be okay," Jack replied, continuing to rub soothing on Mac's back.

Two EMTs came up to them, but Mac didn't pay any attention to the men. He only focused on Jack's steady heartbeat, the thing he knew could keep him grounded. Mac could faintly hear Jack talking to the EMTs, and it sounded like he was trying to convince them that he was okay, that he would take him to a doctor and make sure that he was okay, but that they didn't need the ambulance. He knew Jack would prevail, since they couldn't legally force him to get on the ambulance and go to the hospital. Within ten minutes, the EMTs were leaving, shaking their heads.

"Can you stand, bud?" Jack asked. "I'm right here, I'll help you," he assured. Mac took a deep breath, then tried to push himself up. With Jack's help, he was able to stand, but Jack was taking most of his weight. "It's a good thing you're as light as a feather," Jack chuckled. Mac couldn't bring himself to be annoyed at the man this time.

The two slowly made their way to the car, where Jack carefully helped Mac into the passenger seat. Jack seemed hesitant to leave Mac, even for the short few seconds it would take to walk around to the other side of the car, but he had to, with a final squeeze of Mac's shoulder.

Everything felt like Jack. The smell, the sound of the engine, the feel of the seats, it all reminded Mac that he was safe, that his partner was right beside him, taking him back to Phoenix medical. With this knowledge safely in mind, Mac slowly fell asleep.

Leaving Mac alone with Cage and Riley was one of the hardest things Jack had ever done. He never wanted to leave the kid's side ever again, even though he knew Cage was only trying to help. Jack made eye contact with Mac to make sure the kid really was okay with it, and despite the hesitation and slight fear in his eyes, he nodded to let Jack know it was okay. Slowly, Jack made his way behind the door, but watched closely through the window. He needed to know what was going on in that room.

Cage's idea for Mac to go back to the torture chamber in his mind sounded like a terrible idea to Jack, despite the logic of it. He could tell by the kid's posture that he was nervous about it too. When Mac gasped in fear and flinched, it was all Bozer and Matty could do to hold Jack back from storming back into the room, laying into Cage, and protecting his partner like a mama bear.

"Jack, calm down. Cage knows what she's doing," Matty said sternly, a firm grip on Jack's arm.

"That doesn't mean it's okay. He's scared and I need to be with him," Jack growled in response. He needed to make sure Mac knew it was okay, that he was never going to let him get taken by that psychopath again.

"And you will be, as soon as she lets us back in. Let her do her job," Matty replied, her voice surprisingly gentle. She really did care, no matter how much she tried to convince people she didn't.

Those were the longest five minutes of Jack's life.

The car wreck left Jack more surprised than anything, but delightfully surprised, if only because Murdoc didn't kill Mac or take the kid with him. The rest of it sucked. He'd had to lay there in the wreck, trapped, trying to get Mac to calm down with only his voice. They were all trapped where they were, making it impossible for Jack to reach out and physically ground the kid like he normally would do.

"Mac, buddy, it's okay, we're all okay, you're okay. He's gone," Jack said, urging Mac to calm down. There was nothing he could do if Mac hyperventilated. "I'm right here, and we're okay."

"Jack," was all he said in response, still focusing on slowing down his breathing.

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. Just focus on my voice, you're gonna be okay." Jack kept up a string of reassurances in an attempt to help Mac to calm down. Within a few minutes, he did. Mac was no longer in danger of hyperventilating, although Jack could see he was still shaking.

It took some pretty heavy duty equipment to get them out of the wreck, but within the hour, they were safely on their way back to Jack's house - Mac's was still being processed, so he wouldn't be able to return until the next day. Bozer was working late at the lab, working on processing all the evidence from the house, the two warehouses, and the car wreck. He had his work cut out for him for the night.

Jack could see how exhausted Mac was. Being kidnapped, drugged, almost tortured, shot at, and in a car wreck all in one day, tended to take its toll on a person. He had no adrenaline left to give. Mac made his way straight into the guest bedroom he often occupied to shower and change into more comfortable clothes, while Jack went to the kitchen to get Mac some good comfort food. Chicken noodle soup was always a good choice.

By the time Jack had the soup ready, Mac was out of the shower and walking towards the kitchen, now clothed in a pair of Jack's old sweatpants and an old AC/DC shirt, also Jack's. He grabbed a blanket off the couch as he walked towards the kitchen and wrapped it around himself. To Jack, he looked all of sixteen years old, with his too large clothes, blanket cape, and wet hair. He let out a small chuckle in spite of himself.

"Here ya go, kid. Eat up," he said, pushing a bowl full of soup towards Mac. The blond took it without a word, and started eating much faster than he normally did. "Slow down there, hoss, it'll still be there in the next minute," he said with a smile.

"Sorry," Mac muttered, seemingly embarrassed. "I just haven't actually eaten anything all day. It wasn't like Murdoc was ready with a Happy Meal." Mac slowed down, but Jack just felt even worse. It was his own fault all of this had happened anyway. If he'd just answered when Mac had called him the first time, he would've been there when the attackers came. He would've been able to protect Mac from that monster, would've been able to make sure that psychopath was never able to lay a single finger anywhere on the kid. Jack swore to himself that this would never happen again. Not only would he hunt Murdoc down and put a bullet in him for what he did to the kid, but he would always answer Mac when he called, no matter what.

"You know, bud," Jack said after Mac had finished his soup. "You really need to get some sleep," he urged. Mac looked up at him with wide eyes.

"I can't, Jack. Not now," he said, fear filling his eyes with each word. He slowly shook his head to emphasize the point.

"Kid, you need it. I will be right there with you, I promise. I am never leaving you, ever, especially after what happened today. I will crash in the chair all night. I'm not leaving your side. It's gonna be okay," Jack said, moving around the island counter to put a gentle hand on Mac's shoulder. He didn't flinch this time. "It's gonna be okay, I promise."

As much as he clearly tried to fight against it, Mac yawned, proving Jack's point that he did in fact need the sleep. He eventually nodded, albeit shakily, and rose from the stool by the counter to make his way to the guest bedroom.

Jack did exactly as he promised, and made himself as comfortable as he could in the chair by the bed. Mac looked at him for a moment, before he closed his eyes, scared of the nightmares that he already knew awaited him.

"It's gonna be okay," Jack whispered. Mac nodded, and finally closed his eyes. Within a few minutes, Jack could tell the blond had fallen asleep. His breathing was finally calm and even, and the blankets were pulled up to his chin. He was curled in a fetal position, reminding Jack of just how young he really was. Mac didn't deserve any of this. He deserved a wonderful life with a beautiful family, whether born or found, not an absent father and a psychopath with a lusty obsession with him. None of it was fair.

The chains were back, the chains were everywhere. He couldn't move, but could only watch in horror as Murdoc picked up a bloody saw and began to take his arm off. Mac could feel himself screaming but he couldn't hear it. All too slowly, Murdoc picked up Mac's severed arm and showed it to him with a maniacal laugh, only to then sew it back onto his body. He did it again, and again, and again, paying no mind to Mac's screams for him to stop, to just kill him or anything to make the pain end. Murdoc only laughed again, and ran his blood soaked fingers through Mac's hair, almost in a petting motion.

"Oh, Angus, our fun is only just beginning," the madman said. He wrapped one hand around Mac's neck, just light enough to make sure he knew the pressure was there, and trailed his other hand down Mac's chest, further down, and further, and further, and further-

Jack was soon awoken from his light doze by the sounds of small whimpers. He jolted up immediately, and focused on Mac. He could faintly hear Mac calling out in his sleep, calling for something to stop, to please stop, for Jack to come, for it to end.

"Mac, hey buddy, wake up," Jack said, trying to get Mac to wake up without having to touch him. He knew that would likely freak him out, and he didn't want to do that if he could help it. It wasn't working. Mac just kept crying out in his sleep, tears falling from his eyes. "Come on man, it's not real," he said. Jack moved his hand gently to Mac's hair, and began to slowly card his fingers through it. It had the opposite effect of what Jack wanted. Mac awoke with a scream that would haunt Jack for the rest of his life, bolting upright in bed, and scrambling back from Jack.

"Mac! Mac, it's okay, it's just me, it's Jack," he said, praying to God that the kid would calm down and be okay. As recognition slowly dawned in Mac's eyes, the blond quickly looked down at himself, seemingly to examine his arms and legs. After he seemed satisfied, he launched himself at Jack with a sob, gripping the back of Jack's shirt like a lifeline. Mac buried his face in the crook of Jack's neck, and let out another sob. Jack wrapped his arms around Mac, holding him tight. "It's okay, buddy. It's okay. You're safe with me, safe and sound," he said, beginning to rub calming circles on the kid's back. His heart broke for Mac. No one deserved this, least of all a kid as amazing as Mac. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you. That bastard is never gonna touch you again. I will put him in the ground, I swear. It's gonna be okay."

Jack just stood there, holding Mac, for as long as the blond needed. He knew better than to pull away or to ask what the dream was about. He had a pretty good idea what the kid had dreamt of anyway, and he didn't really need the gory details. A few minutes later, Mac relaxed his grip on Jack's shirt, and pulled away. Jack kept his hand rested on Mac's.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me, I should be better than this," Mac said, annoyance in his voice. That was not okay with Jack.

"You have nothin' to apologize for, nothin', I swear to you. As much as you don't like to admit it, you are human, and you're allowed to have human reactions to trauma and the repercussions of it. I am going to be here with you through it all, I promise," he said, passion in his voice. He hated how Mac always felt like he couldn't be the one to break sometimes. He was only human after all.

Mac squeezed Jack's hand in his, and slowly nodded, but didn't verbally reply. He lifted his shirt to wipe the remnants of tears off his face, and looked away.

"How about you try to get some more sleep?" Jack suggested, trying not to let his heart break even more at Mac's panicked look. "I'm not leaving you, I promise. I will be right here to get you through this. You need the sleep, and you know it." Mac closed his eyes as another tear escaped, but nodded again. Jack moved away to reclaim his position in the chair, but stopped when a panicked Mac latched onto his wrist.

"Stay, please," he pleaded, fear in his eyes.

"I'm just goin' to the chair, it's okay," Jack tried to say, but to no avail.

"No, Jack, please," Mac pleaded again, his eyes once more filling with tears. Jack nodded as he realized what Mac was trying to ask for. Of course he would. He would do anything for that kid.

"Alright, give me some room," he said, moving back over to the bed and crawling in. It wasn't exactly a common thing, but when a mission was especially traumatic, or the memories of Afghanistan became too strong, Jack had no qualms about holding his partner through the night. There's nothing he wouldn't do for him.

As soon as Jack was laying down, facing Mac, the blond once again latched onto the front of his shirt, hiding his head under Jack's chin. Jack knew he could hear his heartbeat from that position, which was likely the goal. That would be good, a nice calming force to help the kid calm down and sleep through the night. Jack reached around and held Mac close, and got comfortable.

Mac had several more nightmares throughout the night, but Jack was there through them all. He made sure that Mac never woke up screaming again, being able to calm him down in his sleep. Despite the lack of decent sleep Jack got, he was more than content to just hold his kid through the night, keeping him safe and sound.