Chapter Text
“You take care Hollywood.”
“Never thought I’d see the day he actually leaves.”
“Who’s going to step up as resident Einstein now?”
“Hey is it too late to ask how you did some things? You know that radio’s gonna go out and you’re not gonna be here to fix it next time.”
Mac couldn’t believe it himself. After three years, he was finally being discharged. Three years of disarming bombs in a war zone and he was finally done and leaving. It looked like he was leaving with less than he went in with as well.
“I am really gonna miss you, Hollywood. I hope the ride home and transition back to citizen is easy for you.”
“I’m gonna miss you too, mainly your ability to that.”
The only thing was, Jack wasn’t going with him.
Though the condition of Jack reupping after his last tour ended, it didn’t mean his tour was up when Mac’s was, and it peeved him just a bit. Stay Mac’s overwatch for the duration of his tour. That was what was put into the contract as fine print, and Jack had argued and tried to pull strings and call in the favors he had, but everything was denied.
“I can’t believe it. They said that, per my wishes, I was your overwatch for the duration of your tour, not the duration of mine. They somehow twisted the words I was gonna twist at them, and none of my favors or strings can get it so I can leave with ya. So it’s gonna be just like it was when we first met; sixty-four days until I’m finally a free man again. It’ll give ya a nice head start on tryin to adjust to civilian life. Oh, by the way, mama wanted to call one last time for ya ship out, just to confirm some things. Nothin major, just like flights and everythin— probably gonna ask what you want yer first meal to be.”
It still rolled through his mind every day, that he was going to the Dalton ranch and not to his grandfather’s house in LA. It hadn’t completely sunk in, not even when he first talked to Bozer about the whole idea.
“Hey, I’m happy for you. If you don’t wanna come here because of— you know, that’s fine. I can keep holding down the fort until you do, or if you ever wanna sell it. Just give me a heads up and I’ll get everything packed up and send you whatever you want. But don’t think that I’m going to last too long without giving you a big old hug when I next see you. It’s been way too long. Mom and dad think so too.”
Harry had left everything to Mac when he died, and with him being deployed, there wasn’t really much he could do. Bozer had known about it, of course, seeing as he was at the funeral and wake, but had only moved in within the last few months after getting finished with school. Mac had told him not to worry about rent or anything since everything was paid off, but if he felt he needed to contribute to it somehow, he could just pay utilities.
“I’m going to send you with these, and then if you need something filled, this is a prescription to take to wherever. If they don’t take it then call my buddy and explain the situation and that I set you up with it. He should be able to get you squared away.”
The last few days leading up to Mac’s departure were strange. The whole thing felt surreal, and the last few times he and Jack were in the field, IEDs took nearly double what they normally did.
“I know yer excited, but ya need to keep yer head here; don’t want any mess ups right before ya leave.”
The first time, it was Jack, and they were less than friends.
That time, it was him, and he was going to Texas to visit the Dalton farm.
When the day finally arrived, Mac was dead on his feet. He’d been so nervous about the whole situation that he didn’t get good sleep the past few nights, and Jack didn’t feel bad about letting him know how bad he looked.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you went and got yerself sick, on account of how ghostly pale you look. Didn’t get much sleep again?”
His stuff had been packed, all his paperwork in order, and his plane ticket had been bought. The only thing for him to do was wait for transport to pick him up and bring him to wherever they were flying out of.
“You don’t gotta be so nervous. Mama’s gonna meet you at the arrival terminal and help you get squared away. She got the room all set up and all the premade food premade. Don’t be afraid to tell her yer not hungry right after landin and you’d prefer to get sleep. Ain’t like she hasn’t done this before. And— don’t be afraid to ask for anythin. She knows… well, she’s just been through it before. Ain’t no shame in needin a little help to get yer feet under you.”
The hug Jack encased him in just before he left was one he didn’t know he needed. It was a big hug, a full one that not even Bozer could recreate. It made Mac realize he hadn’t had an actual hug probably since before he went to MIT. There’d been quick ones and side ones, but a genuine take care, I’ll miss you hug wasn’t something he could remember.
The drive from base to the airport took what felt like hours, and it probably actually did. From one base to another to trade the Jeep in for a truck that housed a dozen other guys from other bases that were also on the flight home, and then on to the actual airport which took additional hours, then finally in the air. They had a two hour layover in Germany, which everyone was appreciative for and helped break up the nearly full day flight.
Mac had been trying to sleep, but despite how thoroughly exhausted he felt, and looked apparently, he couldn’t. He knew it was nerves, from finally being done with his tour, and about his father somehow catching him at the airport. The stress of that alone wasn’t helping him relax in the least. He had an hour from the moment he touched down in LAX to get to his connecting flight to Texas to meet Jack’s mother. He didn’t even try to understand what time zone he would ultimately wind up in.
He managed maybe two hours of intermittent sleep before finally getting to LAX, which didn’t do much good if he was completely honest. He didn’t know what to expect when arriving but was filled with a momentary relief when he realized they didn’t have to go through customs. He didn’t think he’d be able to focus enough for that.
Finally arriving in the terminal, he saw a lot of soldiers reuniting with family members and felt a slight pang of— something. He knew that if he contacted Bozer before he left, he would’ve been there to give Mac the biggest hug he could, and it would definitely have Mac seconding his choice on going to Texas. But he also saw other guys leave alone just right out the terminal doors, lost to the world by themselves, and others, like him, had connecting flights to other states.
He wished he had someone to accompany him, half for the fact he could barely function on the amount of sleep he needed, and he didn’t really know the procedure for what to do. He assumed he wasn’t special, that he was just another person trying to get to where he needed to be. He wasn’t a soldier anymore. He didn’t get special privileges. So he did what any normal, non-sleep deprived person would do; he found someone who knew what they were doing and asked for help.
He was apologetic, almost ashamed of needing help, a not so great curtesy James had engraved into him, but the lady assisting him walked him through the whole process, even going as far as getting him through security and customs— which was literally just flashing a badge and going through— and walking with him to his terminal, explained when he would be called and where he would be sitting. She even spoke to one of the attendants at the gate, getting him a free upgrade to first class. Mac couldn’t do more than thank them, but they all said it was the least they could do with how much he did for them.
The four hour plane ride from California to Texas didn’t seem like it happened. Mac had been so tired that he didn’t know if he even slept or not. The cabin crew helped him with his stuff and de-boarding, and a wave of nervous energy washed over him.
He’d done it. He was out of the army. He was in Texas. He felt like he could take a breath for the first time since— he didn’t even know.
There weren’t any bags for him to wait for; he only had a carryon and small duffel that was kept with him, so he bypassed the luggage carousel and just went to the exit, and it seemed he was either the first, or only one to do so. He wasn’t really paying attention as he walked, just following signs and footpaths, so when he finally reached the hall that led to the outside, it startled him slightly when he came into view of all the other people waiting there for their friends and family and they started clapping.
It took a moment for him to realize they were applauding him, and even longer because he was in his uniform. He gave small nods to people who thanked him as he walked, really actually wishing to just blend in and fade away. He didn’t need the attention, nor really wanted it.
“Mac?”
Hearing his name had his eyes scanning the area, locking on a woman just off to the side.
The jet lag didn’t stop him from recognizing Julia Dalton.
He made his way to her, the uncertainty and awkwardness creeping its way back into the forefront of his mind. “Hi Mrs. Dalton. Thanks for doing— this.”
“Call me Julia, sweetheart.” She wrapped him in a quick hug, earning cheers from people around them. “And don’t you think anything of it. It’s my absolute pleasure to host you, especially now that I got a good look at you. I bet you don’t even know what day it is right now.”
The hug was unexpected, nice, and helped diminish the way he was feeling. “Uh, no, no I don’t.”
“You had nearly a full day of flying over multiple time zones. It’s to be expected.” She smiled and took the duffel he was holding, leading him from the terminal towards the exit and to the parking structure. “We got a little bit of a car ride before getting to the house, so you go ahead and knock out if you want to, and I brought some water and snacks if you wanted something. Lord knows the airline doesn’t provide quality food.”
“Thank you, I appreciate it very much.”
“I also have some food ready to heat at home if you’re up for something more hardy, or if you just want to sleep for three days then there’s a room all made up for you was well. I know you don’t have your whole wardrobe in these bags so I put together some of Jack’s old clothes for you and some new I went out and bought after he gave me your size.”
“You didn’t have to do that. I can pay you back for everything you got.”
“Don’t you think about it. Can’t have you running around in these forever.” She gestured to his uniform. “I wanted to as a small thank you for everything you’ve done, for Jack.”
A small smile. “He’s done a lot more for me, I can promise you that.”
“Speaking from experience, he’s a handful, and don’t think I’m not going to have a word with him about you getting socked. He knows better.”
“Mrs. Dalton—”
“Nuh uh. He’s going to get it when he gets back, and probably not just from me either.” They stopped at a pickup. Julia opened the back door and put the duffel in before taking Mac’s other bag and tossing it in as well. “Go ahead; hop in and make yourself comfy. There shouldn’t be too much traffic after we get out of here, so hopefully the drive will be quick so you can crawl into bed.”
The smile on Mac’s face got larger as he climbed into the front seat. He took a deep breath and just let everything settle. He could feel the stress lessening.
“Let’s get this show on the road. You feel free to just pass out. I’ll wake you when we get there.”
The cool air flowing from the vents and soft music on the radio solidified the idea of going to sleep. He didn’t remember making it out of the parking structure before he had passed out.
***
A beam of light in his eyes and an orange glow is what Mac woke up to. His mind was set on auto and he begrudgingly got up and went for his clothes that were hanging on the bunk. When his hand couldn’t find them, he assumed they dropped like they had dozens of times before, and he would have to spend the next couple minutes shaking them out for fear of some desert creature.
Then it hit him.
The sunbeam was through a curtain and not a tent flap, and his feet immediately touched the ground as he swung out of bed inside of hanging over the side and without having Jack knock them out of the way. The bed he was in was an actual bed, with a comforter and real pillows, and the orange glow was from a clock on the nightstand next to a lamp and some water bottles.
He forgot he was no longer an active member of the military, and that Jack’s mother had picked him up from the airport and currently in Texas. He didn’t even remember making it to the house, let alone changing clothes and getting into bed.
He switched on the lamp and took in the sight of the room; small bookshelf, a desk, closet, TV. His bags were in front of the closet uniform haphazardly on top of it. The thing that made him give a light laugh was the small box of paperclips on the nightstand.
A small knock on the door got his attention, and a moment later it opened, Julia peeking her head it. A smile placed itself on her face when she saw Mac sitting up.
“Good morning. How’d you sleep?”
“Good. Really good.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m sure you needed it; conked out as we left the airport yesterday and nearly all day today. Little over twenty-one hours.”
Mac’s brow furrowed and he looked at the clock. PM. The beam of light he woke up to was the setting sun and not rising.
“I didn’t realize how much time had passed. Uh, what day is it?”
“Tuesday evening. You left Saturday and touched down here on Monday, been asleep since. I think that’s a record; last time Jack came home he was out for seventeen.”
“I don’t really remember much yesterday besides getting into the car at the airport. How did, uh—” He gestured to himself.
Julia snorted. “You weren’t that coherent yesterday, but I managed to get you up here and settled, meaning I gave you clothes to change into and left you to your own for about fifteen minutes; all dressed when I came back but laying off the side of the bed.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to cause trouble.”
“No trouble sweetheart. I’ve had to wrestle Jack in similar fashion and you’re much more cooperative than he is. Mother’s instinct but I did come check on you every few hours to make sure you were alright; you don’t snore like Jack does. He ever keep you and the others up because of it?”
Mac snorted. “When I was new it used to keep me up, and any of the other new guys we got, but you learn to drown it out after a while.”
“Believe me, I know. I don’t suppose you’re hungry are you?”
“Yeah, actually.”
“What’ll you have? I can whip up whatever you want.”
“Whatever you’d prefer is fine. I’m not picky.”
“We’ll go for something easy. Being on an army diet and immediately coming back to the world of nutrition and flavor doesn’t bode well, as I’ve seen in the past. If you’d like to wash up,” she pointed to another door in the room that Mac hadn’t noticed. “Jack and Jill restroom; this room and Jack’s old bedroom. I stocked it with a few things but if you need anything extra, don’t hesitate in letting me know.”
“You’ve already done so much for me.”
Julia smiled. “I’ll be downstairs when you’re finished. Take your time.”
***
Mac could smell the food as he descended the stairs after showering. It reminded him of times he spent at the Bozers when he was younger, when his dad was gone and Harry had to leave for his doctor appointments. He missed Bozer, but the feeling of homesickness hadn’t set in just yet.
The kitchen was immediately at the bottom of the stairs, and Julia was standing at the stove.
“It smells great, Mrs. Dalton.”
“I just hope the flavor is there to back it up. Jack told me about your friend and how he’s a gourmet chef. I don’t think my own is quite there yet.”
Mac snorted. “He’s not a gourmet chef. Jack just likes to blow things out of proportion.”
“That he does.” She tasted the food. “Still needs a little bit longer. If you’d take a seat, there is a few things I’d like to talk about and get out of the way.”
“Oh, yeah. Of course.” Mac had disarmed bombs for the past three years, yet sitting down and talking about whatever had him more scared than he’s been in a while. He could only imagine what she wanted to talk about; a list of rules, stipulations, chores— something he needed to do to earn his keep there.
Julia had sat just across from him, face looking serious, yet caring. “First things first— as long as you’re here, this is your house.”
The drop Mac was feeling stopped, and his head flew up to stare at her.
“You can have free roam, eat what you like, when you like, bathe whenever you want, watch what you want to— you can decorate your room however you see best. Only thing I ask is if you make a mess, clean it up and respect everyone else’s privacy.”
Mac didn’t know how to feel. That was opposite of what he had when growing up.
“You’re free to roam so you’re not just stuck here all day. The property is just under a hundred acres if you want to venture out. There’s ATVs outback if you ever want to just go for a ride, and I’m sure Jack’ll want to show you how to ride when he gets here. Barn and actual ranch is a little ways back if you’re curious, and off to the northwest is a lake if you ever want to go for a swim. And if you want to run into town, there’s three cars for you to choose from. If you’re up to it, I was thinking of making a run tomorrow, just to help you get familiar with the general area and where things are, and I assume you’d probably like a computer, or an updated phone.
“And then, I need you to understand that I mean this with all my heart; don’t worry about any money or getting a job right now. I know you need to acclimate yourself back into civilian life, but trying to hop into a job isn’t the right way to do it. If you really want to work on something, there’s always something to be done at the ranch, but please, take it easy for a while. Try not to feel like you’re wasting time by doing nothing. It’s a long and slow process. You’ll be there before you know it.”
Mac didn’t know what to think. Julia had addressed points he didn’t even think about, so he didn’t even have a chance to worry and over exaggerate about them. He hadn’t even thought about his phone since probably before he left Afghanistan.
“I— don’t know what to say, Mrs. Dalton. Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, sweetheart. You’re under my roof, so I’m gonna take care of you.”