AN: This is the thirty-sixth installment of my personal challenge to write a tag for every episode. This is a tag to 2x15, Murdoc + Handcuffs. It takes place right after Murdoc says he wants to see his son. Fair warning, Murdoc is his usual creepy self, so be warned. He's a little bit creepier in this than he is in canon, just so you know. I hope you enjoy, and please leave a review!

The moment that Murdoc said there was something he wanted more than seeing Mac dead, Jack's mind went to all kinds of dark things he knew to be true, such as the psychopath's love of seeing Mac's blood, hearing his pain, and that lust filled gaze that always fell all over Mac's body. Jack was expecting Murdoc to say one of these things, or something similar, not to start talking about wanting to see his son.

"What? Are you out of your mind? Wait, I already knew that was true," Jack said, risking a quick glance down at his bleeding partner before moving closer to Murdoc. He quickly holstered his gun and grabbed the twine that was on the table with one hand, and Murdoc's hands with the other. He started wrapping the twine as tightly as he dared around Murdoc's wrists, securing the psychopath's hands behind him.

"Although you are right to believe that most things I want do involve our precious Angus, such as this twine you're tying my hands with on him instead-" Jack growled and pulled even tighter at those words "-there is something I want even more. Besides, I know there will be plenty of time later to make blondie scream, maybe I'll even manage to make him scream my name," Murdoc said with that lusty gaze once again pointed at Mac, who was still lying on the ground, groaning in pain and bleeding. His gaze snapped up at Murdoc's words, a mixture of fear and anger in his eyes. Jack's blood boiled.

"If you even think about touching him, I promise you that I will kill you just as slowly as you kill others. You will be screaming, and begging, and pleading for your freaking life just as much as your victims do. When I'm done with you, you'll wish you'd never left prison," Jack threatened right into Murdoc's ear, seething with anger.

"Well I'm sorry to break this to you, Jackie, but I'm afraid that I think about doing much more to him than simply touching him every second of every day, and I've already shot him, yet here I am, still alive and well. So forgive me if I can't take your threats seriously," Murdoc replied with that twisted smile.

"You son of a bitch, I swear I will kill you, right here, right now, if you don't stop talking-"

"Jack," Mac interjected. He looked at his partner with pleading eyes, pleading him to just stop, to just ignore Murdoc, to stop giving him that attention, because they all knew Jack couldn't really kill Murdoc now that he was in custody again. Jack nodded, and slowly loosened his grip on Murdoc.

The psychopath started to laugh. It was a haunting, evil sound. It echoed throughout the warehouse and chilled Jack to the bone. Even a few pigeons fled at the sound.

"Oh, you two are adorable," Murdoc said once he finished laughing. "One word and look from boy genius and you're a completely different person. I know you only do that for his benefit, to make him feel more safe," he said to Jack, turning his head slightly. "But sweet Angus, you're not more safe. You will never, be safe, not as long as I am on this earth. I will always find you, and you will always scream," he said, narrowing his eyes towards Mac once again.

Jack let go of Murdoc and let his fist fly towards the psychopath's face, making the man fall to the ground, blood pouring from his nose. It was likely broken, but Jack didn't care at all, not even a little bit. Jack grabbed more twine from the table and took Murdoc's hands once again. The psychopath began laughing as Jack tied his already bound hands to the table. He tried to ignore the haunting sound and the disturbing excuse for a man it was coming from. He had a kid to take care of.

Jack pulled Murdoc's gloves off and stood up when he was done, making his way over to his partner, who was still on the ground. Mac had his eyes squeezed shut against the pain, and seemed to be focusing on evening out his breathing.

"Hey, kiddo. I'm right here, and I'm gonna take care of you, just like I always do," Jack said quietly, wanting to take care of Mac the way he always did, but not wanting Murdoc to see. He usually didn't care who saw him when he doing what he did best, but with Murdoc, it was different. The psychopath would just use what he saw against them somehow later, and Jack would always do everything in his power to protect Mac from that. Jack took Murdoc's gloves and pressed them against the bullet wound, which pressed Mac down onto the cold concrete. His heart broke at Mac's whimper of pain, but it couldn't be helped. He was still bleeding from both the entrance and exit wound, and the blood had to be stopped somehow. Jack only hoped that Murdoc hadn't heard Mac's cry. That would only fuel the killer more.

"Oh come on, Jack," Murdoc said. "You're getting our little boy's blood all over my favorite gloves, and you're leaving my hands cold," he said with a fake frown.

Jack turned to glare at him, saying, "what makes you think I give a damn?"

"You know, I should really kidnap both of you sometime," Murdoc said enthusiastically, abruptly changing the subject. Jack rolled his eyes and tried to ignore him, turning back to his kid.

"Ignore him. Just ignore him," Mac muttered, his eyes shut and hands clutching Jack. "He can't do anything now."

"That would really be a lot of fun," Murdoc continued. "Seeing the way papa bear reacts when his cub is hurt is almost as pleasing as hurting the cub is. I wonder, what would papa bear do if he had to watch while I hurt his cub, while I made his cub scream, while I saw how the little cub's body really feels-"

"Shut up!" Jack shouted, quickly turning towards Murdoc. "Not even one more word will come out of your mouth, do you understand me?!" As quickly as Jack's temper had flared, it was gone. He turned back towards his partner and continued to hold him. "I'm never gonna let him do that to you, I promise," he whispered, his eyes searching Mac's to make sure the kid really did understand. He was never going to let Murdoc hurt him again, not after today. That bullet in Mac's shoulder was the end for Murdoc hurting the kid. It was never going to happen again. Jack wouldn't allow it. As much as what the psychopath had been saying was presenting some very terrifying images in Jack's mind, specifically his latest threat against Mac's body, Jack knew he had to contain himself. He couldn't kill Murdoc, at least not at that moment.

"You didn't even let me finish making my first request about my son," Murdoc said innocently, but his eyes betrayed him. Jack could still see the killer eying Mac up and down the way he always did, like he was looking at meat to be ravaged.

Jack turned to him, rolling his eyes, saying, "does it look like I give a damn?" There was no way Murdoc would be seeing his son anyway. There was no way.

"Well, he did save my life," Mac muttered, not meeting Jack's eyes. Jack turned back to him, his eyes wide.

"By putting a damn bullet in you, might I add. A simple 'duck' would've sufficed. Don't you be gettin' Stockholm Syndrome on me-"

"Oh, that's a beautiful idea," Murdoc interjected with a laugh. Jack turned to him with another glare, but was stopped from saying anything by Mac gripping his arm.

"Maybe Murdoc doesn't deserve to see his son, but doesn't his son deserve to see his father?" the kid asked, emotions swirling with pain in his eyes. Jack sighed. He knew Mac was right, but still. It wasn't a good idea, and he was going to tell Mac as much.

"That is just about the worst idea in the history of worst ideas, but we'll talk about it later, okay? I think I can hear exfil coming," Jack responded. He was right. Matty had sent exfil to their position as quickly as she could, and they were almost there. Jack could hear the sound of tires on gravel as they got closer. "We're gonna get you back to Phoenix and get you all fixed up once again, and that psycho is gonna go back to prison where he belongs. Come on, let me help you stand," Jack continued, his voice going gentle at the end.

Mac reached up with his good arm and hooked it around Jack's shoulder, gripping the fabric of the man's coat like a lifeline. Jack gripping Mac's wrist with one arm, and hooked his other around the kid's back. On three, Jack pulled Mac up, letting out a soft string of apologies at the small sounds of pain Mac was unable to keep in. He tried to ignore the way that Murdoc was looking at them. Looking at the killer would only fuel his rage, and he didn't need that right now. He needed to be calm in order to best help Mac.

Exfil was there, but Jack knew it wasn't the end. Not only would Mac need to go to the hospital, or at very least Phoenix medical, but he would likely need Jack to be there for the next few nights. Of course, the kid would never admit it, but Jack knew that the day's events and Murdoc's threats would bring on a wave of terrible memories and nightmares that would make the kid wake with screams in the night. Jack needed to be there to help him through it, and that's exactly what he planned on doing. He was never going to let that psychopath hurt his kid again, even in his dreams. The time for that was over. If Jack had it his way, Murdoc would just be immediately killed, but sadly, that was illegal, and Mac would frown upon it, despite the terrible things the killer had done. That was just how pure and good the kid's heart was. That just made it all even more unfair. Mac was the best damn kid Jack had ever met, yet he had to deal with someone like Murdoc trying to ruin his life. But, like always, Jack was never going to let that happen.