Chapter Text
Barking woke Jack up. After sleepless nights and the stress of nearly being blown to kingdom come he had passed out as soon as he stopped moving. But as ex-Delta Jack had learned to wake up at the drop of a pin. It had saved his life countless times so Jack never complained, but when it was someone’s dog barking Jack wished he could just fall back asleep. He was stiff from sleeping sitting on the ground and his mind was foggy and the damn dog’s barking was getting closer.
Wait the dog.
Jack sat up fast, making his head spin, and looked around. “Dog?”
With perfect timing (usually only seen in movies) the dog ran into the apartment.
“Hey buddy,” Jack smiled at the dog. “Dude you had me worried, I thought you left me.”
To reassure Jack the dog came over and licked nosed Jack’s hand till the man gave him a scratch behind the ear. Then the dog looked back up at the door.
“Hello?” a woman asked as she stepped into the doorway.
Jack had enough time to register that she was wearing a paramedics uniform before she was rushing over to him. Still it was a stranger approaching Jack rather quickly, Jack stood up and took up a ready stance. The paramedic slowed down, hands held in front of her.
“Easy. I’m Karen.” She introduced herself. “I’m a paramedic. I followed your dog here.”
“He’s not my dog.” Jack answered.
The dog leaned against Jack, either to give support or asking for it. Karen looked at the dog then back up at Jack.
“Okay,” Karen agreed. “Well the dog brought me here all the same. So I’m going to assume the dog was worried and brought me to you for a reason.”
“Yeah, Um.” Jack looked at his bedroom and the pile of junk he had used to disarm the bomb. “It’s a bit of a story but I think the police and bomb squad need to be here for it.”
To Karen’s credit she only raised an eyebrow. “Bomb squad. Okay. My partner is on his way up. How about I take a look at you and he can call back up when he gets here.”
Jack looked around. “I’m fine.”
“That may be,” Karen shrugged. “But from where I’m standing you are pale, have some cuts on your hands and you’re shaking slightly.”
Jack glowered and tried to stop shaking, but considering he couldn’t tell he was shaking in the first place it probably didn’t work.
“Fine.” Jack agreed grudgingly. “Probably should stay away from the bomb though.” Jack looked at the dog. “You mind staying here and making sure no one gets to close?”
The dog sat down and watched Jack.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Jack stepped away and his leg wobbled.
Karen reached forward to help but Jack pulled away from her. She pursed her lips but let Jack be for the moment. He made his way over to the couch and sat heavily. It was only once Jack was settled that Karen moved over to sit in front of him on the coffee table. Other then a few flinches Jack managed not to move as Karen examined him. As Karen was checking his eyes for signs of a concussion her partner walked in and after a quick word with Karen the man was on the phone calling back up.
Six minutes later two police officers waked in and after a quick word with Karen and her partner the officers focused their attention on Jack. As he was explaining himself as the paramedics talked off to the side. When Jack got to the part about stepping on the pressure plate for the bomb one of the officers moved to look at Jack’s room and the dog gave a warning chuff.
By the time Jack was explaining disarming the bomb the bomb techs themselves came in. Jack took a step back in his tale to explain in detail disarming the bomb. More cops had shown up with the bomb techs and after Jack explained everything, they started clearing the office as Bomb techs got their gear set up. The whole time the dog sat in front of the door making sure no one got too close.
One of the bomb techs turned to Jack.
“Sir, can you call your dog. I need to get my gear set up and have a proper look at the device.”
“He’s not my...” Jack sighed. “Dog come here.”
To his surprise the dog stood up shook himself as if he were wet and trotted over to Jack. Jack started down at the dog, stunted and confused that it had listened to his command. Then Jack was being ushered outside the safe distance zone, the dog stuck to Jack’s side the whole way.
The street was crowded with cops and people from the apartment, as well as people who had simply been walking past and stopped to see what the commotion was. Dozens of people all pushing to get a better view and chatting with each other to try and figure out what was happening. All together it was too many people for Jack’s nerves.
He was trying to track the people around him, watch for threats, but there was too much happening. Before he realized Karen was standing at his shoulder again. Jack held himself back from clocking the paramedic and turned the aborted punch into a half turn to face her.
“Hey, Kathy.” Jack smiled. He was stressed out and mad that she had snuck up on him so he purposely used the wrong name.
“It’s Karen, but nice guess.” She smiled. “My partner and I are going to take to see a doctor. If you’d come with me.”
“Um, thanks but no thanks.” Jack stepped out of her reach. “Like I told you before, I’m fine.”
“You’re dehydrated, probably sleep deprived, and those cuts I wrapped up need a few stitches.” Karen countered. “So, like I said it’s in the bus with me.”
Jack looked at the stupid cuts; he had been disarming the bomb when the glass the dog had brought him shattered because Jack clenched it too hard. Of course, at the time Jack had ignored it and the dog had trotted over a new glass to use. Now the cuts were stinging and had bleed through the bandage Karen had put on.
“Besides,” Karen pushed on, sensing that Jack would still refuse. “It’s either come with me to the hospital, or go with the police for more questions. If I were in your shoes, I’d want a bit of a break.”
She was right. Jack couldn’t really blame the cops for being annoying because they were only doing their job, but still they kept rehashing the same things. Had Jack seen the people who broke into his apartment? Did Jack know why someone would want to plant a bomb in his place? And most annoying: Really, the dog did what? How would it know to do that?
Jack looked at said dog then back at Karen.
“If I’m going to catch a ride with you then this guy’s coming with.” Jack told her hoping that it would be a deal breaker.
Karen just shrugged. “How could I refuse such a hansom fellow.”
Jack smiled, flattered. Then Karen knelt down and spoke to the dog. “And I’ll even let you bring your silly human along.”
“Gee thanks.” Jack deadpanned.
“Come on beautiful, you and your human this way.” Karen lead the way to the ambulance.
The dog stood at Jack’s side but whined after Karen.
“Really?” Jack asked the dog. “Alright, let’s go then.”