Work Text:
Special Delivery
Mac closed the door and leaned against it with a wince.
They had all taken a beating, literally and figuratively, with this mission, fortunately no bones had been broken and they only suffered cuts and bruises.
He pushed off the door and walked to the fridge grabbing a water.
Placing it on the counter he pulled his phone out and found the number he wanted as he walked out to the deck with his water.
"Hey Mac?"
"On the deck Boze." Mac called slipping his phone back into his pocket.
He wanted to talk to Jack in private.
"I brought beer." Riley held it up.
"I brought chips." Desi held the bag of the spicy ranch out to Mac as they came onto the deck.
"Dinner will be here soon." Matty told them grabbing a beer from the six pack Riley had put down.
"What'd you order Matty?" Bozer asked.
"Chinese."
"To celebrate a successful mission." Riley nodded handing Desi a beer and grabbing one for herself.
"One left." Bozer said pulling two out for he and Mac.
The team sat and drank their beers in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.
"You all did good."Matty said.
"We barely rescued those hostages Matty. No offense Desi but Jack would have been a bigger help to me on this one."
"He's way better with kids than I am." She nodded in agreement.
"Because he's such a big one." Riley joked.
"Gotta love him though." Bozer nodded then looked at Mac, "let's call him."
Mac pulled his phone out and found the number and placed the call.
"It didn't go through." Mac's said shoulders slumping, he rose and took the last beer into the house.
"I hope Jack's okay." Riley said worriedly.
"I'm gonna check on Mac." Bozer rose.
"Give him a few minutes." Matty said as her phone pinged and she looked at the text message.
Bozer sat back down with a nod, the concern never leaving his face.
Several minutes later Bozer looked into the house but didn't see Mac.
"Where'd he go?"
They headed inside to find him and saw the front door open, fearing the worst they rushed over.
Three mouths fell open at the unexpected sight of Mac engulfed in a hug from Jack.
"Let someone else in there blondie." Matty smiled.
"Sorry." Mac grinned embarrassed and stepped aside to let Riley have her turn.
"About damn time old man." Riley uttered hugging him tightly too.
"Are you home for good Jack?" Desi asked.
Jack could see their hopeful looks, especially Mac's.
"Mission accomplished." Jack nodded.
"Grab the food Dalton, let's party."
"Yes ma'am." Jack grinned grabbing the bags of Chinese she'd had him pick-up when he called to say he was home.
Bozer dished out the food and Jack opened the fridge for a beer.
"Hey Mac, you stocking up for a party?"
"Yeah...a welcome home party.
"The last beer of every six pack is yours." Mac looked at him.
"Damn bud, you trying to make me cry?" Jack pulled him into another hug.
"We missed you big guy. Welcome home."
"To Jack, back home where he belongs." Matty raised her beer bottle and saluted her friend.
"I love y'all too now let's eat." Jack shoved Bozer toward the deck then he grabbed two plates of food for he and Mac.
Mac grabbed the beers and walked out with him.
They ate and talked well into the night.
Jack got them to tell him the things they didn't say in their phone call and they turned the tables on him making him confess what he left out too.
He made mental plans to call Mama Colton and rat out her son, letting her deal with his cheating ass!
He'd also have to have a conversation with James, man to man, not as his boss.
In principle he agreed that Mac was invaluable and he himself would move heaven and earth to save Mac but he would never lie to a team about their mission and the risks.
Oversight sacrificed Mason's son and his team to save his own son and Jack could see how much Mac would be upset by that.
Once everyone left he and Mac would have a heart to heart about Charlie Robinson's death and he would get Mac to grieve.
Desi was the first to depart, she gave Jack a hug.
"Take care of Mac's head and heart, you're way better at it than I am."
"Thanks for everything Des." He replied.
Desi gave a half-wave as she left.
Matty was the next to go.
Jack knelt down and she hugged him.
"You were missed."
"I missed y'all too."
"We need to talk about the team dynamic." She looked at him.
"Is there an Oversight rule that says it has to be four to a team?" Jack smiled.
"No." Matty nodded thoughtfully with her own smile and headed out as well.
"You, me, Pizza and skeeball old man." Riley hugged him.
"You're on Ri. Love you kiddo." He said hugging her back.
"I love you too Jack. Welcome home."
He walked her to the door.
"Drive safe."
"I'll see you tomorrow." She smiled and left.
"I'm going to clean-up and head to bed." Bozer said and started for the kitchen when Jack grabbed him in a crushing hug.
"Thanks for keeping your eyes on them Boze." He whispered and let the other man go.
"It's good to have you home Jack." Bozer grinned and set to his task.
Jack grabbed two beers and headed back to the deck where Mac had remained while he said his good-bye's to the others.
"To Charlie...he was a hell of a man." Jack toasted.
Mac touched his beer bottle to Jack's, eyes tearing up.
"Tell me what happened bud."
"He sacrificed himself to save all those people."
"Sounds like someone else I know." Jack bumped his shoulder smiling.
"The sad thing is...I understand Mason's motivation." Mac admittted.
"Understanding and condoning are two different things Mac. I feel for the guy too, I'd hate anyone who sacrificed you but I wouldn't murder their friends. I'd go after them."
"Have I told you how glad I am that you're home?"
"So am I Mac, so am I." Jack hugged him again.
They talked for another hour, getting back into sync with each other.
"It's late. We both need some sleep." Jack steered him inside and shook his head with a smile seeing a pillow and blanket on the couch.
"Guess you're staying..." Mac looked at him hopefully.
"Looks like." Jack smiled.
"Night Jack." Mac nodded relieved.
"Night brother, sweet dreams." Jack grinned.
Mac shook his head with a smile and started for the hall and his own bed, he got to the hall entrance and turned back.
"Get changed and grab a pillow." Jack said.
Mac hurried to his room and returned a short time later wearing tee shirt and sweat pants.
The men settled on the couch and Jack threw the blanket over them.
"Go to sleep hoss."
Mac smiled and closed his eyes.
Jack quickly followed him into slumber, shoulders touching.
Bozer crept out and smiled seeing Mac and Jack snoring on the couch.
I'll make my famous pancakes for breakfast, he nodded and went back to bed.
The End 2019