Dependence
Author: NYWCgirl
Fandom: Macgyver 2016
Pairing: none
Characters: Angus Macgyver, Jack Dalton, Bozer, Riley
Warning/genre: Friendship, Team as family, hurt/comfort, kidnapping, hostage, non-consensual drugging, canon-typical violence
Spoilers: none
Rating: Gen
Author's Notes: This fic fills the ‘Drugged’ square on my H/C Bingo card.
Word Count: ~3450
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine…
Summary: Mac is taken. When Jack manages to free Mac, he has to deal with the aftermath.
This fic can be found on AO3
‘… finally listening?’
Mac blearily looks up at the man who is shaking him like a rag doll. He tries to figure out what is happening? Where is he? What is happening?
‘… understand?’
He’s roughly pulled off the floor and dragged away. When he is let go, he drops to the floor in a heap, unable to straighten himself out. While he still trying to make sense of what is happening, his arm is pulled out… a pinch… suddenly the world doesn´t make sense anymore, this thoughts bounce around. His heart races and he feels nauseous. Only when he is roughly shaken, does he realize that someone is talking to him.
‘W…ht?’
For some reason, he can´t make sense of what the man is saying. He can see the man´s mouth move but for some reason he can´t make sense of the words.
‘Can you hear me kid? I will kill you if you don´t answer.’
A giggle escapes him. He doesn´t know why, but it does. He’s hit squarely in the jaw and drops like a stone. The cool floor feels good and he doesn´t make any attempt to get p.
* * *
The floor is cold, uncomfortably so. Mac realizes that he can feel the cold leeching inside him. He needs to do something. Something important. What is so important? Why do his thoughts keep slipping away?
He’s cold. Why is it cold? Wait, he is laying on a cold floor, Why is he on the ground? He was thinking about something important. What was it? Oh, wait, he needs to get out of here. Jack? Where’s Jack?
He rolls over and tries to push himself off the floor but his arms don´t seem to cooperate. With all his willpower, he finally manages to get on his knees and hands while staggering forwards towards the door. With herculean effort he manages to open the unlocked door. Once upright he wavers in place. Why does the room keep moving? Maybe he is on a boat. Boat. Was Zoe not on a boat? A pang of hurt and guilt shoots through him.
Not a boat. The room spins. Did Jack take him to a carnival? He takes a deep breathe. He needs to calm down and get his thoughts organized. What is the last thing he remembers?
He can´t remember. What is wrong with him? Jack will know. He needs to find Jack. He scans the room, but he is not there. Maybe he is in the hallway. Oh, right, he is already leaning against the open door. He staggers into the dark hall and starts to walk, well maybe walk isn´t correct, it is an accomplishment he can put one foot in front of the other.
Still no Jack. Maybe if he calls for him, he will hear him and come to get him. That makes sense.
‘JACK!’ he hollers.
A door is opened and three men enter the hallway, but none of them is Jack.
‘Damn, not again kid. Get him!’
Mac tries to figure out what that means and what is happening, when he is grabbed and pulled back into the room. There is another sting in his arm. This time it isn´t withdrawn, but whatever they are giving him is slowly injected.
Mac starts to giggle as words start to bubble up in his head, an address. California. Sun. Ocean. Surfing. Jeep. A building. A bird. Fire. No, not fire.
A slap pulls him back from his own mind. He squints at the man who is looming over him. What was the question? He can´t remember. Why can´t he remember? The man doesn´t seem amused.
He is pulled upwards and he does his best to get his legs underneath him. He can´t follow the pace of the men and is dragged along until he is lifted and tossed inside something small. When the lids is closed, he realizes it is dark and cold, and smells funny. Whatever he is in is vibrating and the movement makes it increasingly hard to stay awake, and eventually he passes out.
* * *
Jack drives like a maniac and Cage doesn´t dare to comment his driving. The moment they got an address from Matty, Jack was on his way to one of the SUV´s in the basement parking. They have been looking for days now and the guys who have Mac aren´t known for their altruistic work methods.
The moment they arrive at the given address, Jack is out of the car, gun drawn. Cage is close behind him, but once they enter the building it is fairly quickly clear that there is nobody there. The building is empty but it is clear Mac was there. His leather jacket and his SAK are discarded in a corner of the room.
‘Do we have any idea where they went?’
‘Riley is on it Jack. An evidence recovery team is on its way to the address.
* * *
Mac rouses by a prick in his arm that makes his blood boil. He is pulled upwards and out of something. He once again tries to get his legs underneath him, but he is mostly held up by two men on either side of him. He tries to get purchase by attempting to hold himself upright. His hands skims over something hard and cold. His fingers curl around it and pull it toward him.
All at once, all hell breaks loose. People are shouting and Mac is pulled in front of someone. He can feel someone behind him against his back. An arm is wrapped around his throat, making it hard to breath. Something cold is pressed against his temple. He tries to stay upright but his blood pulses and his heart races, nausea builds and he can´t help gagging.
The man lets go of him and a gunshot sounds. Mac does his best to crawl away.
* * *
LAPD are seeking cover behind their squad cars when Jack and Cage arrive. Matty called them the moment the call came in about a blond male being manhandled out of a car trunk. Mac is being held hostage at gun point. Mac looks terrible, bruises mar his face and arms. He is swaying on his feet and his head seems too heavy for his neck. But what has Jack on edge is the gun in Mac´s hand. The hostage taker doesn´t seem to be aware of it but is getting anxious. All of a sudden Mac seems to be loosing all color in his face, he gags and when he vomits the man lets go. A police bullet takes him out, officers are yelling and Mac crawls away.
‘Mac!’
Mac stops when he hits a wall.
‘Mac! It’s me, Jack!’
Mac stills for a second but when he sees the movement he raises the gun. Now that Jack is closer he can see the kid´s dilated pupils. There is almost no blue visible. Drugged.
‘Mac? How are you holding up?’
Mac´s head raises again, but so does the gun. Jack can see the LAPD officers. The tension is increasing.
‘Cage, can you get everybody away. My boy and I need some space and time.’
Cage immediately starts clearing a perimeter and it is clear it setting Mac on edge.
‘It’s OK Mac, you’re safe. I´m here.’
Jack slowly moves to sit next to Mac.
‘Why don´t give me the gun, kid. You know you only want the bullets and the clip.’
Mac is listing to the right but doesn´t release the gun.
‘Mac you are safe. I’ve got my gun, see?’ he waves his gun in front of Mac, before putting it away. Mac seems to contemplate the request and eventually nods, loosening his grip on the gun. Jack carefully takes it from Mac´s hand, taking out the clip and handing it back to Mac, who stares at it but gives a small smile.
‘Jack?’
‘Yes, Mac.’
‘You really here?’
‘Yes Mac, I am.’ He puts his hand on Mac´s arm, but he flinches and Jack backs off. Jack can see Mac is trying to make sense of what is happening. He is shaking and Jack is not sure if it is hypothermia setting in or the drugs, either way, he needs medical attention.
‘Cage, can you call EMT’s in?’
Within minutes a Phoenix medical team shows up for which Jack is grateful. Mac flinches when one of them kneels next to him.
‘It’s OK Mac, Doc Carl is here to help you.’
Jack takes Mac´s face in his hand, pulling him towards his shoulder.
‘Close your eyes, Mac, it’s alright. I have your back.’
Mac keeps fighting against the fatigue and pull of the drugs, flinching with each movement. But eventually he loses his battle and the team immediately takes advantage, loading Mac onto the gurney they brought.
* * *
Jack escorts Mac into the house and onto the couch. He’s as wobbly as a new born foal.
‘Why don´t you lay down and try to rest?’
‘Are you staying?’
‘Where would I go?’ Jack takes a blanket and lays it over Mac. His internal thermostat is off and he has a hard time keeping warm. He takes a seat next to Mac on one of the seats. Mac closes his eyes and it doesn´t take long before his breathing evens out.
Jack studies Mac, he looks so peaceful and relaxed in sleep, a big contrast that the time they spent in hospital.
Mac woke in the ambulance in full flight mode. The moment he realized he couldn´t get away, his survival instinct told him to fight and it took all of Jack´s training to keep on top of Mac without hurting him. They ended up using medical restraints, as it was clear Mac was going to fight them every step of the way. Once they arrived at Phoenix, Matty had ordered everybody out, except for essential personnel for which Jack was grateful. Drawing blood for a tox screen was an experience Jack never wants to repeat. The moment Mac´s arms were checked, it was clear they weren´t going to find a good vein left, Mac was a notorious hard stick any day, but his arms were bruised and covered with infected puncture marks. The moment Mac saw a syringe, his panic skyrocketed and they backed off, afraid that he would give himself a heart attack. Jack intervened and suggested to Mac that they would start an IV in his ankle. Jack started telling Mac some elaborate story while the Doc numbed his ankle with some spray and started a line to draw blood and start an IV. Jack kept talking and carting his fingers through Mac´s hair until he calmed down enough to doze off. They backed off until they got the results of the tox screen, giving Mac some rest.
Mac woke by himself and his eyes immediately found Jack´s. They looked clearer than they had before.
‘Hey kid, how are you feeling?’
Mac didn´t respond at first, feeling the matrass he was laying on, taking in the room before his eyes settled back on Jack.
‘Dizzy, thirsty, drugged.’
‘Yeah, well, you are right on all of those. Think you can drink? You have an IV, but your mouth is probably dry.’
He adjusted the angle of the bed and held a glass of water with a straw in front of Mac, so he could drink. The restraints were still in place after all.
‘I don´t know anything.’ Mac mumbled.
‘That’s OK, kid, I don´t need to know anything. Just take it easy, you are still pretty drugged up.’
Mac nodded, clearly agreeing.
‘Can I have something to eat?’
‘I will ask one of the nurses.’
Jack pushed the nurse call button and a nurse who introduced herself as Barbara entered the room.
‘Hi Mac, good to see you awake. How can I help you?’ she takes Mac´s vitals while she waits for an answer.
‘I’m hungry.’
‘Fair enough, I can get you a Jell-O or pudding.’
‘Can I have an ice cream?’
She looked at Jack who gave her an almost unnoticeable nod. Mac was testing how much control he had.
‘Sure, any particular flavor? Vanilla, Chocolate?’
‘Rocky Road?
‘Let me see what I can do.’
She left the room and Jack sat down again, Mac, you’re at Phoenix. You are no longer being held.’
Mac jiggled the restraints.
‘Yeah, well, that is for your own and our protection. You are a dirty fighter Mac. I had to use all my techniques to keep you contained earlier.’
Mac only nodded.
Doc Carl entered with a small jar of Rock Road ice cream, ‘I heard my favorite patient asked for some ice cream,’ he handed the jar to Mac with a spoon. He checked the clip board, ‘I have your results back, that is quite the drug cocktail Mac. You will feel off kilter for some time, before all the drugs are flushed from your system. But there is no reason to stay here at medical. I already spoke to Matty and Jack can take you home after you finish your ice cream. Don´t strain yourself and try to get as much rest as possible. What you need is some good TLC. Now, to counter the drugs, I have some pills I want you to take to ease your body back into a normal state. I will give them to Jack, OK?’
Mac nodded, letting Jack spoon the ice cream in his mouth. The doctor released the restraints and Mac took a deep breath.
While Mac readies himself to go home, Doc Carl told Jack that they found a whole arsenal of drugs in Mac´s system, the drugging had been consistent and prolonged so Mac would experience drug withdrawal symptoms, hence the medication he handed to Jack.
And here they are. Bozer and Riley are on a mission in Eastern-Europe and he asked Cage to give them support. He can handle mac´s recovery. And in the mental state Mac is at the moment, they will need peace and quiet.
Mac is fast asleep and the seat he occupies feels so comfy. Before he realizes it, Jack is also fast asleep.
* * *
When he wakes, he eyes falls on the couch which is empty. Jack jumps up and studies the room. The door to the deck is open, so he walks over, immediately seeing Mac. He is curled up in one of the deck chairs. His face is pale and he is fidgeting. Jack feels his pocks and hands Mac a paperclip, which he gratefully accepts. Jack can see Mac´s pupils are still dilated.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Couldn´t sleep anymore, so I decided to come and enjoy the view.’
‘Hungry?’
‘Nah, I´m fine.’
Jack gets up and makes a peanut butter jelly sandwich and takes two of the pills Doc Carl gave him. He pours a glass of orange juice and walks back to Mac.
‘You will need to eat a bit to take the pills.’
Mac nods and accepts the pills Jack hands him. He throws them back and takes a sip from the glass. He doesn´t take a sandwich. At least he took the pills.
‘Where are we?’
Mac looks round in confusion. Jack studies him. Mac isn´t kidding and he takes Mac´s hand, ‘we are home, Mac.’
Mac nods like he now realizes where he is. He chucks of the blanket and gets up, pacing the deck. Jack is worried, but Doc Carl told him Mac would have withdrawal symptoms so this is probably normal. Mac took the pills, so he will be OK.
* * *
When Mac wakes, he finds Jack passed out in the seat next to him. He is suffocating so he needs to get out. He is surprised to find the door open. He opens the door and walks onto the deck, marveling in the view. It is so pretty. He sits down on one of the deck chairs and curls up in the blanket watching the colors.
He is missing something, but he can´t tell what he is missing. When the door opens again, he stills and Jack comes out. Jack feels his pockets and hands him a paperclip that for some reason makes him happy.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Couldn´t sleep anymore, so I decided to come and enjoy the view.’
‘Hungry?’
‘Nah, I´m fine.’
Jack gets up and goes back inside only to come out again with some food.
‘You will need to eat a bit to take the pills.’
Why would Jack want him to take pills? Something is not right. But he can´t make Jack suspicious, so he nods and accepts the pills. He throws them back and takes a sip from the glass. He is happy that he was always good hiding stuff. He will dispose the pills later.
For some reason he doesn´t recognize the place they are staying, so he asks Jack, ‘Where are we?’
Jack studies him and takes his hand, ‘we are home, Mac.’
Mac nods, why would Jack tell him he is home when he doesn´t recognize the place. He would recognize his own home, wouldn´t he. What game is Jack playing?
He realizes he is hot, so he chucks the blanket and gets up. He is feeling anxious and he starts pacing. He is thirsty so he empties the glass and asks Jack if he can have some water. Jack gets up and when he comes back hands him a bottle of water.
‘Why don´t you sit down?’ Jack says in concern.
Mac empties the bottle in two swallows and sits down as nausea builds. Jack puts a bucket between his feet, ‘just in case you upchuck. You shouldn´t have drank that water so quickly.’
Mac is unclear what he means by that but decides it is best to co-operate.
‘I´m going to take a nap.’
‘That is a good idea.’
Jack helps Mac back inside and this time into his bed before locking all the doors from the inside. He then goes back to the couch and lays down to catch some zzz´s himself.
* * *
The next evening Mac doesn´t look better. He has been taking his pills, drinking a lot, but complaining that he was nauseous and didn´t have an appetite. His headache also didn´t seem to get any better. Jack also notices the tremors running through Mac and the cold and hot spells he seemed to have. But they were all part of withdrawal, right?
It is dark outside and Mac has been pacing in the house, he was mad when he discovered this morning that the doors were locked, but at the moment he is looks more like a caged tiger than a recovering kidnap victim. Jack makes a mental note to take Mac to medical in the morning. He suddenly stops his pacing and stares for a couple of seconds before he starts pacing again.
‘Mac, it is getting late, why don´t you lay down and get some sleep. I will get your pills.
Mac keeps pacing, not acknowledging Jack.
‘Do you smell that?’
‘What?’ Jack calls back from the kitchen. Suddenly there is a loud crash and Jack runs back to the living room, finding Mac on the floor in the grip of a seizure.
‘Shit, come on kid, don´t do this to me.’
Jack makes sure Mac can´t hurt himself on anything and within a minute, he is still again, slowly blinking his eyes. Jack is already on the phone with Phoenix medical.
It takes them twenty minutes to get to Mac´s house and by that time Mac is sleeping. It is Doc Carl himself that came with the team and he tells Jack they are going to bring Mac in because they need to see why the diazepam didn´t help with his withdrawal.
Two hours later they know why, Mac never took the pills. He must have been getting rid of them. The Doctor explains to Jack that he shouldn´t feel guilty. Mac is a trained operative, trained for these scenarios. It had been naïve to think it would be this easy. So Mac is admitted, so they can control his in- and outputs better. A second bed is installed for Jack and they make themselves up for round two.
One way or the other, they are getting Mac better.
Fandom: Macgyver 2016
Pairing: none
Characters: Angus Macgyver, Jack Dalton, Bozer, Riley
Warning/genre: Friendship, Team as family, hurt/comfort, kidnapping, hostage, non-consensual drugging, canon-typical violence
Spoilers: none
Rating: Gen
Author's Notes: This fic fills the ‘Drugged’ square on my H/C Bingo card.
Word Count: ~3450
Disclaimer: Characters are not mine…
Summary: Mac is taken. When Jack manages to free Mac, he has to deal with the aftermath.
This fic can be found on AO3
‘… finally listening?’
Mac blearily looks up at the man who is shaking him like a rag doll. He tries to figure out what is happening? Where is he? What is happening?
‘… understand?’
He’s roughly pulled off the floor and dragged away. When he is let go, he drops to the floor in a heap, unable to straighten himself out. While he still trying to make sense of what is happening, his arm is pulled out… a pinch… suddenly the world doesn´t make sense anymore, this thoughts bounce around. His heart races and he feels nauseous. Only when he is roughly shaken, does he realize that someone is talking to him.
‘W…ht?’
For some reason, he can´t make sense of what the man is saying. He can see the man´s mouth move but for some reason he can´t make sense of the words.
‘Can you hear me kid? I will kill you if you don´t answer.’
A giggle escapes him. He doesn´t know why, but it does. He’s hit squarely in the jaw and drops like a stone. The cool floor feels good and he doesn´t make any attempt to get p.
* * *
The floor is cold, uncomfortably so. Mac realizes that he can feel the cold leeching inside him. He needs to do something. Something important. What is so important? Why do his thoughts keep slipping away?
He’s cold. Why is it cold? Wait, he is laying on a cold floor, Why is he on the ground? He was thinking about something important. What was it? Oh, wait, he needs to get out of here. Jack? Where’s Jack?
He rolls over and tries to push himself off the floor but his arms don´t seem to cooperate. With all his willpower, he finally manages to get on his knees and hands while staggering forwards towards the door. With herculean effort he manages to open the unlocked door. Once upright he wavers in place. Why does the room keep moving? Maybe he is on a boat. Boat. Was Zoe not on a boat? A pang of hurt and guilt shoots through him.
Not a boat. The room spins. Did Jack take him to a carnival? He takes a deep breathe. He needs to calm down and get his thoughts organized. What is the last thing he remembers?
He can´t remember. What is wrong with him? Jack will know. He needs to find Jack. He scans the room, but he is not there. Maybe he is in the hallway. Oh, right, he is already leaning against the open door. He staggers into the dark hall and starts to walk, well maybe walk isn´t correct, it is an accomplishment he can put one foot in front of the other.
Still no Jack. Maybe if he calls for him, he will hear him and come to get him. That makes sense.
‘JACK!’ he hollers.
A door is opened and three men enter the hallway, but none of them is Jack.
‘Damn, not again kid. Get him!’
Mac tries to figure out what that means and what is happening, when he is grabbed and pulled back into the room. There is another sting in his arm. This time it isn´t withdrawn, but whatever they are giving him is slowly injected.
Mac starts to giggle as words start to bubble up in his head, an address. California. Sun. Ocean. Surfing. Jeep. A building. A bird. Fire. No, not fire.
A slap pulls him back from his own mind. He squints at the man who is looming over him. What was the question? He can´t remember. Why can´t he remember? The man doesn´t seem amused.
He is pulled upwards and he does his best to get his legs underneath him. He can´t follow the pace of the men and is dragged along until he is lifted and tossed inside something small. When the lids is closed, he realizes it is dark and cold, and smells funny. Whatever he is in is vibrating and the movement makes it increasingly hard to stay awake, and eventually he passes out.
* * *
Jack drives like a maniac and Cage doesn´t dare to comment his driving. The moment they got an address from Matty, Jack was on his way to one of the SUV´s in the basement parking. They have been looking for days now and the guys who have Mac aren´t known for their altruistic work methods.
The moment they arrive at the given address, Jack is out of the car, gun drawn. Cage is close behind him, but once they enter the building it is fairly quickly clear that there is nobody there. The building is empty but it is clear Mac was there. His leather jacket and his SAK are discarded in a corner of the room.
‘Do we have any idea where they went?’
‘Riley is on it Jack. An evidence recovery team is on its way to the address.
* * *
Mac rouses by a prick in his arm that makes his blood boil. He is pulled upwards and out of something. He once again tries to get his legs underneath him, but he is mostly held up by two men on either side of him. He tries to get purchase by attempting to hold himself upright. His hands skims over something hard and cold. His fingers curl around it and pull it toward him.
All at once, all hell breaks loose. People are shouting and Mac is pulled in front of someone. He can feel someone behind him against his back. An arm is wrapped around his throat, making it hard to breath. Something cold is pressed against his temple. He tries to stay upright but his blood pulses and his heart races, nausea builds and he can´t help gagging.
The man lets go of him and a gunshot sounds. Mac does his best to crawl away.
* * *
LAPD are seeking cover behind their squad cars when Jack and Cage arrive. Matty called them the moment the call came in about a blond male being manhandled out of a car trunk. Mac is being held hostage at gun point. Mac looks terrible, bruises mar his face and arms. He is swaying on his feet and his head seems too heavy for his neck. But what has Jack on edge is the gun in Mac´s hand. The hostage taker doesn´t seem to be aware of it but is getting anxious. All of a sudden Mac seems to be loosing all color in his face, he gags and when he vomits the man lets go. A police bullet takes him out, officers are yelling and Mac crawls away.
‘Mac!’
Mac stops when he hits a wall.
‘Mac! It’s me, Jack!’
Mac stills for a second but when he sees the movement he raises the gun. Now that Jack is closer he can see the kid´s dilated pupils. There is almost no blue visible. Drugged.
‘Mac? How are you holding up?’
Mac´s head raises again, but so does the gun. Jack can see the LAPD officers. The tension is increasing.
‘Cage, can you get everybody away. My boy and I need some space and time.’
Cage immediately starts clearing a perimeter and it is clear it setting Mac on edge.
‘It’s OK Mac, you’re safe. I´m here.’
Jack slowly moves to sit next to Mac.
‘Why don´t give me the gun, kid. You know you only want the bullets and the clip.’
Mac is listing to the right but doesn´t release the gun.
‘Mac you are safe. I’ve got my gun, see?’ he waves his gun in front of Mac, before putting it away. Mac seems to contemplate the request and eventually nods, loosening his grip on the gun. Jack carefully takes it from Mac´s hand, taking out the clip and handing it back to Mac, who stares at it but gives a small smile.
‘Jack?’
‘Yes, Mac.’
‘You really here?’
‘Yes Mac, I am.’ He puts his hand on Mac´s arm, but he flinches and Jack backs off. Jack can see Mac is trying to make sense of what is happening. He is shaking and Jack is not sure if it is hypothermia setting in or the drugs, either way, he needs medical attention.
‘Cage, can you call EMT’s in?’
Within minutes a Phoenix medical team shows up for which Jack is grateful. Mac flinches when one of them kneels next to him.
‘It’s OK Mac, Doc Carl is here to help you.’
Jack takes Mac´s face in his hand, pulling him towards his shoulder.
‘Close your eyes, Mac, it’s alright. I have your back.’
Mac keeps fighting against the fatigue and pull of the drugs, flinching with each movement. But eventually he loses his battle and the team immediately takes advantage, loading Mac onto the gurney they brought.
* * *
Jack escorts Mac into the house and onto the couch. He’s as wobbly as a new born foal.
‘Why don´t you lay down and try to rest?’
‘Are you staying?’
‘Where would I go?’ Jack takes a blanket and lays it over Mac. His internal thermostat is off and he has a hard time keeping warm. He takes a seat next to Mac on one of the seats. Mac closes his eyes and it doesn´t take long before his breathing evens out.
Jack studies Mac, he looks so peaceful and relaxed in sleep, a big contrast that the time they spent in hospital.
Mac woke in the ambulance in full flight mode. The moment he realized he couldn´t get away, his survival instinct told him to fight and it took all of Jack´s training to keep on top of Mac without hurting him. They ended up using medical restraints, as it was clear Mac was going to fight them every step of the way. Once they arrived at Phoenix, Matty had ordered everybody out, except for essential personnel for which Jack was grateful. Drawing blood for a tox screen was an experience Jack never wants to repeat. The moment Mac´s arms were checked, it was clear they weren´t going to find a good vein left, Mac was a notorious hard stick any day, but his arms were bruised and covered with infected puncture marks. The moment Mac saw a syringe, his panic skyrocketed and they backed off, afraid that he would give himself a heart attack. Jack intervened and suggested to Mac that they would start an IV in his ankle. Jack started telling Mac some elaborate story while the Doc numbed his ankle with some spray and started a line to draw blood and start an IV. Jack kept talking and carting his fingers through Mac´s hair until he calmed down enough to doze off. They backed off until they got the results of the tox screen, giving Mac some rest.
Mac woke by himself and his eyes immediately found Jack´s. They looked clearer than they had before.
‘Hey kid, how are you feeling?’
Mac didn´t respond at first, feeling the matrass he was laying on, taking in the room before his eyes settled back on Jack.
‘Dizzy, thirsty, drugged.’
‘Yeah, well, you are right on all of those. Think you can drink? You have an IV, but your mouth is probably dry.’
He adjusted the angle of the bed and held a glass of water with a straw in front of Mac, so he could drink. The restraints were still in place after all.
‘I don´t know anything.’ Mac mumbled.
‘That’s OK, kid, I don´t need to know anything. Just take it easy, you are still pretty drugged up.’
Mac nodded, clearly agreeing.
‘Can I have something to eat?’
‘I will ask one of the nurses.’
Jack pushed the nurse call button and a nurse who introduced herself as Barbara entered the room.
‘Hi Mac, good to see you awake. How can I help you?’ she takes Mac´s vitals while she waits for an answer.
‘I’m hungry.’
‘Fair enough, I can get you a Jell-O or pudding.’
‘Can I have an ice cream?’
She looked at Jack who gave her an almost unnoticeable nod. Mac was testing how much control he had.
‘Sure, any particular flavor? Vanilla, Chocolate?’
‘Rocky Road?
‘Let me see what I can do.’
She left the room and Jack sat down again, Mac, you’re at Phoenix. You are no longer being held.’
Mac jiggled the restraints.
‘Yeah, well, that is for your own and our protection. You are a dirty fighter Mac. I had to use all my techniques to keep you contained earlier.’
Mac only nodded.
Doc Carl entered with a small jar of Rock Road ice cream, ‘I heard my favorite patient asked for some ice cream,’ he handed the jar to Mac with a spoon. He checked the clip board, ‘I have your results back, that is quite the drug cocktail Mac. You will feel off kilter for some time, before all the drugs are flushed from your system. But there is no reason to stay here at medical. I already spoke to Matty and Jack can take you home after you finish your ice cream. Don´t strain yourself and try to get as much rest as possible. What you need is some good TLC. Now, to counter the drugs, I have some pills I want you to take to ease your body back into a normal state. I will give them to Jack, OK?’
Mac nodded, letting Jack spoon the ice cream in his mouth. The doctor released the restraints and Mac took a deep breath.
While Mac readies himself to go home, Doc Carl told Jack that they found a whole arsenal of drugs in Mac´s system, the drugging had been consistent and prolonged so Mac would experience drug withdrawal symptoms, hence the medication he handed to Jack.
And here they are. Bozer and Riley are on a mission in Eastern-Europe and he asked Cage to give them support. He can handle mac´s recovery. And in the mental state Mac is at the moment, they will need peace and quiet.
Mac is fast asleep and the seat he occupies feels so comfy. Before he realizes it, Jack is also fast asleep.
* * *
When he wakes, he eyes falls on the couch which is empty. Jack jumps up and studies the room. The door to the deck is open, so he walks over, immediately seeing Mac. He is curled up in one of the deck chairs. His face is pale and he is fidgeting. Jack feels his pocks and hands Mac a paperclip, which he gratefully accepts. Jack can see Mac´s pupils are still dilated.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Couldn´t sleep anymore, so I decided to come and enjoy the view.’
‘Hungry?’
‘Nah, I´m fine.’
Jack gets up and makes a peanut butter jelly sandwich and takes two of the pills Doc Carl gave him. He pours a glass of orange juice and walks back to Mac.
‘You will need to eat a bit to take the pills.’
Mac nods and accepts the pills Jack hands him. He throws them back and takes a sip from the glass. He doesn´t take a sandwich. At least he took the pills.
‘Where are we?’
Mac looks round in confusion. Jack studies him. Mac isn´t kidding and he takes Mac´s hand, ‘we are home, Mac.’
Mac nods like he now realizes where he is. He chucks of the blanket and gets up, pacing the deck. Jack is worried, but Doc Carl told him Mac would have withdrawal symptoms so this is probably normal. Mac took the pills, so he will be OK.
* * *
When Mac wakes, he finds Jack passed out in the seat next to him. He is suffocating so he needs to get out. He is surprised to find the door open. He opens the door and walks onto the deck, marveling in the view. It is so pretty. He sits down on one of the deck chairs and curls up in the blanket watching the colors.
He is missing something, but he can´t tell what he is missing. When the door opens again, he stills and Jack comes out. Jack feels his pockets and hands him a paperclip that for some reason makes him happy.
‘How are you feeling?’
‘Couldn´t sleep anymore, so I decided to come and enjoy the view.’
‘Hungry?’
‘Nah, I´m fine.’
Jack gets up and goes back inside only to come out again with some food.
‘You will need to eat a bit to take the pills.’
Why would Jack want him to take pills? Something is not right. But he can´t make Jack suspicious, so he nods and accepts the pills. He throws them back and takes a sip from the glass. He is happy that he was always good hiding stuff. He will dispose the pills later.
For some reason he doesn´t recognize the place they are staying, so he asks Jack, ‘Where are we?’
Jack studies him and takes his hand, ‘we are home, Mac.’
Mac nods, why would Jack tell him he is home when he doesn´t recognize the place. He would recognize his own home, wouldn´t he. What game is Jack playing?
He realizes he is hot, so he chucks the blanket and gets up. He is feeling anxious and he starts pacing. He is thirsty so he empties the glass and asks Jack if he can have some water. Jack gets up and when he comes back hands him a bottle of water.
‘Why don´t you sit down?’ Jack says in concern.
Mac empties the bottle in two swallows and sits down as nausea builds. Jack puts a bucket between his feet, ‘just in case you upchuck. You shouldn´t have drank that water so quickly.’
Mac is unclear what he means by that but decides it is best to co-operate.
‘I´m going to take a nap.’
‘That is a good idea.’
Jack helps Mac back inside and this time into his bed before locking all the doors from the inside. He then goes back to the couch and lays down to catch some zzz´s himself.
* * *
The next evening Mac doesn´t look better. He has been taking his pills, drinking a lot, but complaining that he was nauseous and didn´t have an appetite. His headache also didn´t seem to get any better. Jack also notices the tremors running through Mac and the cold and hot spells he seemed to have. But they were all part of withdrawal, right?
It is dark outside and Mac has been pacing in the house, he was mad when he discovered this morning that the doors were locked, but at the moment he is looks more like a caged tiger than a recovering kidnap victim. Jack makes a mental note to take Mac to medical in the morning. He suddenly stops his pacing and stares for a couple of seconds before he starts pacing again.
‘Mac, it is getting late, why don´t you lay down and get some sleep. I will get your pills.
Mac keeps pacing, not acknowledging Jack.
‘Do you smell that?’
‘What?’ Jack calls back from the kitchen. Suddenly there is a loud crash and Jack runs back to the living room, finding Mac on the floor in the grip of a seizure.
‘Shit, come on kid, don´t do this to me.’
Jack makes sure Mac can´t hurt himself on anything and within a minute, he is still again, slowly blinking his eyes. Jack is already on the phone with Phoenix medical.
It takes them twenty minutes to get to Mac´s house and by that time Mac is sleeping. It is Doc Carl himself that came with the team and he tells Jack they are going to bring Mac in because they need to see why the diazepam didn´t help with his withdrawal.
Two hours later they know why, Mac never took the pills. He must have been getting rid of them. The Doctor explains to Jack that he shouldn´t feel guilty. Mac is a trained operative, trained for these scenarios. It had been naïve to think it would be this easy. So Mac is admitted, so they can control his in- and outputs better. A second bed is installed for Jack and they make themselves up for round two.
One way or the other, they are getting Mac better.