A/N: I am so delighted to start posting for this challenge. Like, you have no idea how excited I am.
Thank you to impossiblepluto for organizing this challenge and to starrylizzard for the prompt list. Seriously you gotta have talks like this more often because I loved writing for it and to just imagine how many goodies we'll have this week *squeals*.
When I first saw the post for this challenge I immediately started planning what I was going to write for. It was the first time I actually considered in joining a fandom challenge and I liked the idea of a loose schedule if you didn't have planned for every day. Luckily, I ended up having stories ready for all seven days.
Today's story is for 1x03 – Awl and it picks up directly after the cold open cut off and before the actual episode. It's a bit whumpy, and there's some talk (because let's face it, I am a sucker for the boys talking). The idea came from a person's comment on one of my edits on Instagram, and it coincided with the COC post. It's when my mind was made.
Thank you Sabby for always letting me scream and helping me when I got stuck.
Title comes from the song "Bargain" by The Who.
Enjoy!
"Okay hoss, time out. We gotta roll. We escaped that fire, but we can't risk it further. Can't allow those knuckleheads to discover we survived the fire that we set. Well, the fire you set."
Jack could laugh with how crazy Mac's plan was, but they got out and that was all that was important right now.
There was no answer from the man sprawled on the ground to his left so Jack thought Mac was cross with him because of the comment he made.
"Whatever man, we have to bounce."
Jack easily freed himself from the body bag and the straps. But as he turned to his left and saw Mac, still sprawled on top of his own body bag and fire extinguisher creation, he had a realization. Mac wasn't grinning as much as he was grimacing. And he wasn't mad at Jack, he was in pain.
Jack winced.
"Mac, bud, um, are you okay?"
Mac finally opened his eyes and looked at Jack. There were tears gathered at the corners of his eyes and he grabbed Jack's hand in a bruising grip.
"It hurts. Hurts so much."
"What hurts?"
"My-my back. I… moving hurts."
"Ow. Okay, we have to figure something out. Sit tight, I'll go and see what we can do about transport."
"It's not like I can move, Jack."
"Oooh, Mr. Snappy. You arrived early."
"Sorry, sorry. Just, it fricking hurts so much."
"I know, Mac."
Jack searched the perimeter of the parking lot where they landed, but other than the one (destroyed) car, there was nothing to be seen within safe distance. No cars. No trucks. No bikes.
"Argh."
Jack cussed under his breath. They were in one of those close to Cairo tight spots and Jack had a moment of pure panic seizing his heart. It was usually the kid that came up with the exit strategies, Jack just followed his lead. Followed by lots of grumbling, but that was Jack's way of showing Mac he was there, and to pull the kid out of his head if his brain went into overdrive.
Jack came back to where Mac was still lying down, panting, and biting his lip from moaning out loud when the pain was too much.
Jack crouched next to Mac and placed a hand on Mac's neck, the touch acting as a grounding force for Jack and checking Mac's pulse at the same time.
Once Jack was satisfied the pulse wasn't skyrocketing, he rubbed his thumb in soothing circles over Mac's collarbone, offering comfort to his partner.
"Mac, you with me?"
"Always with you, Jack."
Jack smiled and kept up with his steady ministrations.
"We have two options here. Either I carry you to exfil or I'll help you to a location and I go and steal a car-"
"Don't leave me. Please."
If Mac was begging, then the pain was probably unbearable. Jack's mind was made right then and there.
"I'll have to turn you around first, get the straps off of you."
Mac murmured something before he bit on his fist to stop the scream that escaped his lips. Jack hated that he had to cause Mac more pain, but he had to remove the body bag and the straps that were undoubtedly hurting Mac as well.
Mac's sweater rose up when Jack carefully removed one strap and Jack inhaled a sharp breath at the array of bruises that already started to form on Mac's back and waist.
"What is it?"
"Nothing. Just your back is one hella maze of bruises."
"Are you done?"
"Almost there."
Jack finally freed the other strap and turned Mac to lie down carefully again.
"So, how are we gonna do this? Bridal style, piggyback ride? Your choice, man."
Mac squinted at Jack and Jack could see the wheels turning in Mac's head. The hamsters were already at work.
"Bridal style."
"You got it."
Jack carefully positioned himself and put one arm across Mac's shoulders, while the other sneaked under the backs of Mac's knees. Mac looped his arms around Jack's neck. Then Jack lifted Mac and adjusted him to be closer to his chest. Mac curled in on Jack as Jack started the trek that would get them to exfil.
Jack tried to think of what to say, always having a story to distract Mac from the pain, but his brain was drawing blanks. All he could do was walk.
Jack could feel Mac bunch one of his hands in the fabric of Jack's t-shirt. There were soft sniffles and quiet moans when Jack accidentally jostled his precious cargo.
"Just a little bit more, Mac. Exfil is at four kliks from here. We are almost there. Hang on."
Jack summoned whatever strength he was left with and powered through the rest of the trek to exfil. He was thinking of another time when he carried his partner, back in the desert, six kliks to base, where he had to carry deadweight because Mac was unconscious. The same kind of fear gripped his heart now, but there'll be time to let the fear grip him harder and take hold of him. Now, all he had to do was to get Mac to safety.
Jack felt like a whole mountain rolled off his shoulders when he saw the familiar face of their pilot standing next to the Phoenix plane, waiting to get them home. As soon as he noticed them approaching, the pilot opened the door to the plane and started the engines.
Once they were inside, Jack sighed with relief.
…
Mac was lying down on the couch, pillows fluffed around him and under his back, but Jack could see that Mac was far from comfortable. His face was pinched, breathing labored. Jack was sitting across from him, not wanting to hover too much or jostle Mac too much with it.
The kid was currently trying to find a position where he could rest without too much strain. Just as he settled, something in his demeanor changed. Surprisingly strong for the state he was in, Mac picked up one of the pillows and flung it to the other end of the plane.
The pillow landed with a soft thump and Jack decided he had enough of Mac struggling.
"Hey, hoss, what's wrong?"
Jack knew he asked a question he already knew the answer of. He got a glare in response, but hey, it was at least a reaction. It beat having to look at Mac's face pinched in a frown and in pain.
"I can't help you, if you don't tell me what's going on."
"You don't have to help me. I'm tired, I'm hurting, and I can't find a position where it doesn't hurt, Jack. So unless you acquired a medical degree somewhere along the way or you became a Doctor Strange and you have the Time Stone then I don't know what else you can do."
Jack chuckled.
"You are so adorable when you geek out."
That earned him another glare.
"And no, I didn't get any additional degrees and I'm definitely not Doctor Strange. But what I am is your partner. I'm here so I might as well help ya' in any way you need. Now tell me what to do."
Mac sighed and his whole body shuddered with it. He closed his eyes and reopened them a second later. He had that look on his face when he had it all figured out and Jack waited.
"Actually, there is something you can do."
"Anything. You name it."
"Help me to lie down on the floor."
Jack could feel his eyebrows going up in question. He wasn't sure he was prepared for one more crazy idea today.
"Sorry, what?"
"As much as it sounds insane, it'll help. Lying down on hard surfaces. The pillows and the couch are too soft and it's pissing me off. Jack, please. I'm starting to go out of my mind with pain."
Jack decided that he'd have to have a talk with Mac once they were back in LA about how Mac should not use those puppy dog eyes on him coupled with that miserable looking face of a hurting Mac. It was almost like Mac knew Jack had a weakness in th3 form of his partner hurting and him being unable to alleviate the pain and played the puppy card. Constantly.
Who was Jack kidding, anyway? He'd probably do the same thing as many times as it was required because no way in hell was he gonna deny anything to Mac. No matter what it was, his top priority was Mac.
Jack sighed.
"Okay. I'll help you lie down on the floor if that helps."
After a bit more groaning and adjusting, Mac was lying down on the floor. But Jack wasn't above letting Mac suffer by himself so he sat next to Mac and let his hand land as a comforting weight on Mac's shoulder.
That's how the copilot found them half an hour later to tell them they had to take a slight detour. Jack's hand was squeezed hard in that moment, and Jack thought his fingers were about to be broken from how strong the grip on it was. Mac moved his head and hid his face in Jack's thigh. Jack ran his other hand through Mac's head and massaged his scalp to ease the tension and offer some comfort.
Mac whimpered when Jack's hand rested in his hair and slowly released the bruising grip he had on Jack's hand.
"Sorry." Mac mumbled into Jack's leg.
"Don't be. You are hurting. It's okay to need comfort."
"You don't have to do this for me."
"Aw kid, how many times do I have to tell you? Taking care of you is my job. And I take my job seriously."
"This is more than just a job."
Jack smiled down at Mac. The kid was smart and Jack knew he had it all figured out. Mac stopped being just a job for Jack when he signed up for another tour on the condition to be paired up with the bomb nerd with the silly hamburger name.
"You are right, hoss. But, you are my responsibility off the clock as well. And nothing you say will change my mind. You'll always be my number one priority so get that in your head. I'll always take care of you."
"Thanks, Jack."
Mac looked okay for the moment and Jack hated to move or jostle him, but he needed some blankets for what he was about to do.
Mac tracked his movements, Jack could feel it.
Jack also took two of the pillows and placed one under Mac's head and one next to Mac. Then, Jack lied down on the floor, next to Mac, groaning in the process.
"Oh no, you didn't. Jack, you can't just lie on the floor."
"Yes, I can, and I absolutely will. You think you are the only one that gets to lounge on the plane's floor? I don't think so."
"I'm hurt. There's a difference. Don't want you to get all cramped up, trying to make me feel more comfortable."
"You really think this is just for your benefit, hoss? I'll have you know, I have the need to stretch from time to time."
Mac was looking at him now, fully focused on Jack. Jack could see the exact moment Mac was on to him.
"Your back. Your back is hurting as well."
Jack sighed. The kid knew him too well.
"Yeah. You got me."
"From carrying me to-"
"Stop. This isn't your fault. It was a conscious choice we both made. If I couldn't carry you, I wouldn't have volunteered. We made the best out of the situation. Please don't beat yourself over it."
"But, you ended up hurt."
Because of me, hung awkwardly in the air unsaid.
"Nah. Nothing I haven't had happen to me before. A little bit of rest and some ice packs and I'll be as good as new. It's you we're worrying about, remember?"
Mac chose that moment to yawn and Jack smiled at how adorable and young his partner looked at that moment.
"We are going to continue this conversation when we land. And don't you think you can escape it, Jack Wyatt Dalton. 'Cause you are coming to get checked in Medical, too."
Jack didn't see anything good coming from arguing with Mac about it so he decided to agree and let it go.
"Okay, you have yourself a deal. Now, get some shut eye and rest. We have a long flight in front of us."
Mac was already getting comfy (as much as he could, being in constant pain), and cuddled closer to Jack.
Jack thought Mac was asleep when there was a hand snaking in his and long fingers wrapping around his, holding on.
"Thanks for getting me to safety, J'ck." Mac mumbled sleepily into the pillow.
Jack smiled contentedly. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for this kid.
"Always, kiddo."
Only after Jack was sure Mac was really asleep did he let himself drift off.
They were safe and heading home.
A/N: Thoughts?