Macgyver imagines

Jack Dalton: 16

"Let your smile change the world, but don't let the world change your smile."
-?-

Summary: an unexpected visitor shakes the Dalton family. Can they get through it?

Warnings: brief mention of past abuse

"I will not."
Jack immediately protested.
"Come on please? I need your help. Those nails back there will scratch him up. And you know we need the money we get from his shows."
   Faith had been trying to coach her long since boyfriend into helping her. He had just got back from a tour in Afghanistan and to say they were struggling would be an understatement. They had recently had a baby goat on their rather large farm and had just started showing him. Of course Faith was scared to death of her baby getting hurt in the back of the pickup. So the only reasonable answer was for Jack to ride back there.
  "Absolutely not. I won't ride with a goat."
"Jack he'll get hurt!"
"He's a goat, Faith!"
"A very special goat. Now get in there right now." She gently pushed him towards the truck bed. He finally gave in, "Fine. Only if I get a kiss."
   She rolled her eyes. Walking up and pecking him on the cheek, she was quick to get back in the truck cab. He whined slightly but got into the bed of the truck.
   Jack had been back from his most recent tour and Faith was struggling with keeping the farm afloat. It wasn't because she didn't work, so much as she had a big heart. Her big sister had decided to get her act together (she was a drunkard) and Faith wanted to help in any way possible. Her sister had found a professional place, but it was costing a lot. Jack had been supportive through the whole way, but sometimes even that wasn't enough. She had been selling peaches on the corner recently, and this goat show just might bring up the kind of money she needs.
   Faith hit a bump in the road and she chuckled slightly feeling Jacks pain. The back window was open so she heard the curse words fly out of his mouth.  He mumbled about a goat, a girl, and big old farm.

"Jack be careful with that goat!" She hollered through the back window.
"Yeah. Yeah. Don't I get any love?" He mumbled.
   -----
"Hey. Hey, Jack?" Mac asked taking a seat across from his partner.

"Hm. Mh. What?" Jack shook out of his trance.
"What you thinking about?"
"Just that stupid goat."
"Hey. Don't let Faith hear you say that."
  Jack rolled his eyes. "She's back home, can't hear."
"Yet she always seems to."
They both laughed slightly, but they were both still shaking from the last mission. It was.. it was a close one.
  "How's she doing by the way?" Mac asked, knowing she had recently been asked to come back to he military
"Oh I don't know. She's really thinking about it. Normally, she wouldn't hesitate to go help, but something's changed. I think those night terrors are back."
  Mac nodded along.
"Or maybe she just doesn't want to leave you?"
"Naah. That can't be it. We've been together since before I met you. Back then we were both two seas away from each other." Jack shook his head slightly. It's been a dang long time.
"Which brings us to this topic."
"Not this again."
"Yes this again. Have you asked her yet?"
"....No.... I kinda want to see what she'll choose on her own will."
Mac rose an eyebrow. "Ooorrrr. Your chicken."
"I ain't chicken."
"Oh yes. You are."
"If anything I'm a rooster. Ya know sitting up high, prideful, man of the house-"
"Jack, your still a bird."
"Well, yeah. But I'm a cool bird."
"No a cool bird is an eagle. Your a rooster."
"It's cool!"
"You can't even fly."
Jack sighed. "You win this one."
"I always win."
"Shut up."
"You shut up."
-----
Faith paced back and forth. "Jack pick up." She mumbled pressing the phone to her ear more. Another voicemail. She called Mac, but again nothing. Her lines must be down again.
   The little girl was still sitting next to the step. She patted the dogs head, but otherwise remained motionless.
"Jack?"
  "F-th?"
The signal was fading.
"Jack? I need help?"
"Wh-you?"
"Your cutting out."
Then the line went dead.
----
Jack went to pacing around inside the plane worried sick as to why she would call him while he was working.
"Jack. The pole is probably down again. Chill."

"Yeah, but why would she call in the first place?"
  Before he could respond, Rileys face popped up on the computer.
  "Hey, Jack. Faith is trying to get a hold of you."
"Yeah I know. Must be a line down. How'd you know?"
"She just drove here. She's in the war room with Madi."
"What? She's at the Phoenix? She's on leave why would she go there?" He grumbled slightly at her at work again, and slightly worried.
"That's the thing. She brought a kid."
"What? Alright well the plane will land in about twenty minutes."
"The kid doesn't look good."
"How so?"
"Been beat."
Then the line cut out again.
---
Faith walked down the hall coming back from the cafeteria with little four year old, Mia.
  "Mia, sweetheart I need you to eat something." She told her as they entered the war room again.
She nodded but kept her face hidden in Faiths shirt. Faith sighed and picked the girl up with one arm before setting the tray down and relaxing on the couch.
  "Come on." She coaxed the girl into eating.
  She saw Jack walk in and immediately stood, causing the girl to whimper. Faith stroked her hair before getting up and walking to Jack.
  "She just showed up at the farm. Her arms are all bruised up, and her nose was bleeding. We cleaned her up, but Jack, she's got no one."
     He nodded before walking up to Mia. "Hey, punkin, can you tell me where your mommy is?"
  She shook her head. "Bad daddy. Big Bang. Ouchie on her."
  She obviously had next to no teaching from her speech.
  "Alright. Well, how bout you come stay with me and Faith here for a couple of days?"
  Faith gaped . He knew she'd love this chance to take care of a child, since she had not been able to conceive a child. 
Mia nodded. Madi agreed. "It'll just be little awhile I promise."
  With that Jack picked up the droopy eyed child, and carried her to the truck, leaving a smirking team, at the almost family.