Old Friends
By: LML
Part 1
The paramedics rushed through the double doors in a frenzy, making a mad dash for the two doctors who were ready and waiting. In front of the two medics, lay an unconscious man on a stretcher, who by this time was starting to code.
"I need an EKG and I want an updated status report on his vitals, stat!" The man barking the orders looked as though he'd definitely been around for quite some time. He was a well-seasoned man of his profession, and this patient had been here before. He looked at the unconscious man's face for a time before he spoke softly. "C'mon, Erick, don't you dare give up on me now. You've got too damned much keeping you from dying. Fight for it, Erick!"
He began to administer proper treatment for the man's current condition, and was pleased when he saw the coloring return to the man's face. As he attached an IV to the man's arm, the man's breathing normalized and he clearly heard him say, "Thanks, Doc. Could someone call my daughter?"
*****************
MacGyver was sitting in his living room reading the latest Hockey scores, when all of a sudden he heard someone knocking at his door. It was only 9:30:pm so he wasn't too incredibly worried. He set his paper down on the coffee table and headed for his door. As he looked through the keyhole, he didn't recognize the figure standing on the other side of the door.
"May I help you?" He opened the door enough so that the amount of light in the room spilled out onto the doorstep. She was a blonde-haired woman, mid to late twenties, average height, and very slim.
"I'm incredibly sorry for disturbing you this late in the evening, sir, but I'm looking for a man by the name of MacGyver."
"Well, you've found him. And you are?"
"Lisa Woodman. Only the last time you saw me, it was about ten years ago and I wasn't in the best shape."
Mac stood there for a second, dumbfounded. Lisa Woodman? It had been such a long time, almost a full decade since he'd seen his young friend last. He looked the young woman over, marveling at how much of a grown woman the child of long ago had become. At first he had no voice, but soon found it. "Come on in!" He swung the door open as wide as it would go and stepped aside to allow the woman entrance. "How've you been! It's great to see you, Lisa."
"Good to see you too, MacGyver. As for how I've been, well I've been good and then not so good. But you know about that part."
Mac pointed to the couch and motioned for Lisa to sit. "So when did you get into town? And why didn't you call me?"
"Only an hour ago. I got a taxi and came over here before I head to a hotel. I hope you don't mind."
"No I don't mind, not at all! It's great to see you. You've really grown up, Lisa. How's your father doing?"
"Well, that's the reason I came to see you. He isn't doing so well. He had a small stroke the other day, and was rushed into the hospital. I was only phoned last night about the emergency, and I rushed here from back East as soon as I could. I can't get in to see him until tomorrow, and I didn't exactly relish the idea of spending my first several hours here in some dreary hotel room, waiting for something to happen. I hope you don't mind me dropping in on you like this. If I've come at a bad time, I can always..."
"Not a chance! Do you have reservations at a nearby hotel?"
"The hotel I have reserved a room in is about a half-hour away from here. He's at the hospital here in town, but it was all I could find at such short notice. I guess there's some convention going on here this week."
"Oh yeah. That would be the one for all the photo journalists. Sam's attending that all week."
"Sam?"
MacGyver realized that he'd been thinking out loud and immediately explained. "I've got a son. His name is Sam, and he's twenty-four years old."
"What son? What are you talking about, MacGyver?"
Mac explained how he'd met Sam and how they'd become a family together in the past several years. As they talked, an idea suddenly occurred to Mac.
"Lisa, cancel those reservations. You'll stay here in my guest room."
"Oh no, I couldn't impose!"
"It's not an imposition, I offered it to you. Besides, your closer to the hospital."
"Okay. Thank you very much, Mac. I accept your offer. Do you mind if I use your phone?"
"Right over there." Mac pointed to the phone on the stand in the corner of the room and left to give Lisa some privacy.
In the background he could hear Lisa's half of the conversation. "Hi, my name is Lisa Woodman. I'm calling about a patient, Erick Woodman. I just got into town and was concerned about his condition. Has there been any change either way? Yeah, okay...I understand. Thanks."
He entered his kitchen and reached into the refridgerator, pulling out a carton of orange juice and a two-liter bottle of Pepsi. He pulled two glasses from the cupboard and poured the contents of the respective drinks into each cup. He reentered the living room just as Lisa was finishing up her phone call.
"Here. I brought us some drinks. Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks."" Lisa took the cup Mac offered and took a long sip. "So how's Mr. Thornton doing?"
"Pete is doing just fine. He's no longer the director of Field Operations at the Foundation. There are several new players now, but Pete is still at the Foundation, as am I."
Mac and Lisa talked for another hour, and then they both decided to get some much needed rest. Mac said he'd even take her to the hospital the next morning, as he wanted to see her father himself.
The next morning, Mac was awakened by the scent of cooking food coming from his kitchen. At first he wasn't sure where he was or what was going on. Had Sam come over for breakfast, and in seeing that Mac had not as of yet risen, decided to make breakfast? Then he remembered the convention that Sam had been attending all this week. He resigned himself to get p out of bed and see what was what. Then it all came back to him, Lisa, her father, and the hospital. As he rose from his bed, he could feel the twinge of pain in his knee.
"I think I might need a few days off." Mac thought to himself as he quickly threw on some jogging clothes and headed toward the kitchen. Upon his arrival, Lisa set a plate of eggs and toast on the table. She turned from the stove long enough to smile and incline her head toward the piping food.
"Eat up. Breakfast is, after all, the most important meal of the day."
"You sound just like Sam and Pete, you know that?"
"Yeah, well, that's just me." She had by this time turned back to the stove and was flipping two very delicious omlets onto a plate. As she worked, they chatted about the more mundane topics. Lisa brought her plate over to the table and sat down across from her friend.
"So, Lisa," Mac began as he ate his breakfast, "how've you been doing? The last time I saw you was about ten years ago. How are things going for you? What have you been doing lately?"
"After I got the help I needed, I decided to head to college. I'd considered being a lawyer, but then I realized that being a lawyer meant more than I was really willing to sacrifice at the time. So, after I took several courses in office managing, I went to work at a realistate agency as a secretary. Not too much has happened lately, at least nothing as earth-shattering as what I had to deal with when I was a kid."
Mac smiled at his friend. It really had been a long time, too long. "Well, while you're here visiting your father, I'd like to take you around and show you what's changed in the past few years. I have a few days of vacation time owed to me, and since Sam's at the photojournalists convention for the week, how about I spend it with you and your father?"
"Thank you very much, Mac. I know he'd love to see you. How long has it been since you saw each other?"
"Oh, probably about the same amount of time since I last saw you. I've heard over the years that he's been doing quite well, and that he's been very busy."
"That's my dad, always busy. I swear, Mac, he never takes any time for himself. He never has. Even when Mom died, he never really took enough time for himself."
After they'd finished their breakfast, the two got ready for their day. Mac checked to be certain that he turned on his answering machine before they left, shut off the lights, and grabbed his keys from his jacket pocket. Once in the car, Lisa spoke up.
"You know something, Mac, I never really got to tell you how greatful I am to you for making me realize that I had a problem. I really did appreciate it, and I'm very greatful to you for caring enough to get involved."
"Lisa, I'm just glad you listened when I lectured. If I haven't told you already, I'm very proud to see how well you've turned out. You're a beautiful young woman, with a whole lot of possibilities ahead of her."
Mac turned onto the road leading to the main parking lot for the hospital, and found a space very close to the door. He and Lisa entered and asked which room her father was in.
"Ms. Woodman, the doctor's with your father right now. If you and your friend would please wait over in the waiting area, someone will be right out to see you in a little while."
"Wait a minute." Lisa looked very confused. "If something's wrong, I want to be made aware. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on. Please, this is my father we're talking about. Please tell me what's changed since last night."
The nurse at the desk looked genuinely perplexed. She hadn't been the nurse on duty the night before when Lisa had called to check on her father, of course, but she'd been there since his episode this morning. She wasn't too sure if she should tell the woman what she wanted to know and risk her job, or wait for the doctor to tell her and risk hearing about it from the woman later on. Better wait and risk an angry woman, rather than an angry doctor.
"Ms. Woodman, if you'll please go and sit in the waiting room, the doctor will be with you shortly."
Lisa was about to protest, when Mac took hold of her arm. His grip was gentle, but firm, as were his words. "Lisa, come on. Let's go and wait for the news. I know that's not what you want to hear, but right now it's all we can do."
Mac led Lisa over to a row of chairs and the two of them sat down. Lisa looked like she was about to break down and cry, but she refused to let herself become vulnerable. She didn't want to show Mac how weak she could be in very difficult situations. As they sat, Lisa began absentmindedly thumbing through a magazine on the nearby table.
"Are you going to look at those pages and the words on them, or are you just going to sit there and turn them?"
"Huh?" Lisa hadn't realized that Mac had just spoken to her. "Oh. I'm sorry, Mac, I guess I was lost in thought there for a minute."
"It's okay. I understand."
Thirty minutes later, a doctor in a white labcoat entered the waiting room and approached the two friends.
"I'm looking for either Lisa Woodman, or someone here for Erick Woodman."
"I'm Lisa Woodman. How's my father, Doctor?"
The doctor gestured for Lisa and Mac to follow him to a more secluded area, and then he turned to face them. "Ms. Woodman, your father has suffered several very mild strokes. Now, normally if a person suffers one mild stroke, there is some cause for concern, however, it isn't as serious as the more severe ones. But I'm afraid that in your father's case, these strokes have been causing more and more damage over time."
"Over time? I was under the impression that this was his very first stroke. What aren't you telling me?"
The doctor looked very perplexed. Understandably, there was the issue of doctor/patient confidenciality to be concerned about, and given the fact that this was the man's daughter, he had a choice to make. He looked first at Mac, and then at Lisa.
"Ms. Woodman, your father's medical history shows quite a number of extremely mild strokes over the past several years. This latest one has given me a great deal of concern, since this morning he lapsed into a coma."
Part 2
Lisa, who was by now in shock, just stood there, not moving and not speaking. Mac reached out and took hold of her arm, and tried to coax her back to her seat. When she didn't move, he rose and took hold of her shoulders and practically lifted her from the floor.
"Come on, Lisa, its okay. It's me, Mac." Mac spoke to her as she still didn't respond, and then he watched her sink into the chair. At first it looked as though she'd started to come out of it, but as he watched, her body made no movement, except for the rise and fall of her chest. At least she hadn't stopped breathing, he thought to himself as he looked between Lisa and the doctor.
"What would you say that her father's prognosis is?"Mac stared long and hard at Lisa as he asked the doctor. He was pretty certain that it wasn't going to be good, but he had to know one way or the other.
"Well, sir, I'm afraid that it isn't good. If he doesn't regain consciousness within a day or so, it is very likely that he will remain in this condition for the rest of his life." He turned his attention on Lisa's slumped form. "Should I get someone to look at her?"
"No. I'll take her home and bring her by to see her father later when she recovers from the shock." Mac thanked the doctor and waited for him to leave.
He slowly reached for Lisa's arm, and realizing that she wasn't going to move of her own accord, he stood, and slung her over his shoulder.
"It's a good thing you're still shorter than I am, Lisa." Mac commented as he hefted her out of the hospital and to his waiting car. He placed her in the passenger's seat, wrapped the belt around her slender body, and closed the door.
After he'd made the short trip back to his house, he helped Lisa out of the car and brought her inside. At first she appeared to be much the same as before, but then he noticed a spark of something in her eyes.
"Mac? What...what happened? Where am I?"
"Back at my place. You fainted at the hospital. Do you remember what the doctor said, Lisa?"
"He said that my father is in a coma. He'd had another mild stroke this morning."
Lisa started to stand up, but thought better of it. Mac sat down beside her and gently took hold of her hand. "Lisa, whatever happens, I'll be here for you and your father. I didn't desert you when you needed my help when you were younger, and I'm not going to desert you now."
"You know, Mac, I've been wondering about that. When I first met you, you were hurt. You asked for my help, and you put your trust in me. I could just as easily have turned you in to the security officials at the school, but you didn't think about that."
"To be honest, Lisa, I trusted you because I had a feeling about you. I saw something in you that I see in very few people when I first meet them. And besides, I could tell how lonely you were."
"That's right. It was parents day or weekend or something like that, and mine had phoned to say that they wouldn't be showing up. I was so hurt and angry with them, And then you came along, and you made me realize that rather than let things stay bottled up inside, it was better to get them out in the open. It was something my father understood, but my mother just didn't get it. You know, that was one of the reasons they split shortly after the whole ordeal."
Mac looked sober for a moment. He hadn't known the full reasons why Lisa's parents had separated, but he hadn't pried either. When he'd learned of the separation and pending divorce, both he and Lisa had once again been thrown into some pretty tough situations. Lisa's father had owned a steel mill, which due to lack of revenue being brought in, had been forced to shut down. One of the workers who had dedicated his life to the job, had retaliated by staging a kidnapping of none other than Lisa. However, things had gone wrong when instead of grabbing Lisa, the kidnappers had grabbed Lisa's best friend Inga.
"Lisa, I really cared back then, and I still do. You know I'm always here for you whenever you need me. And that goes for your father as well. I'm not going anywhere until I know that everything will be all right for the both of you. I don't care how many calls I get from the Phoenix Foundation."
Lisa, who had refused to let herself cry since arriving in L.A., finally broke that resolution. As the tears ran in rivulets down her cheeks, smearing her makeup, nothing else mattered. She realized that it was time to let it go, and get everything out in the open. Mac reached out and hugged the young woman whom he'd come to care about as a daughter to him.
"I just don't know how I can deal with this, Mac. It's not like I have to stay back in Ohio with my job, I'm sure that there are plenty of those here in L.A. But how will I take care of my father if he remains in a coma? I just don't know how..."
"Lisa, listen to me. Whatever happens, and whatever you have to do, I know that you can do it. Remember how you overcame your drinking problem and went to rehab?" Lisa nodded slightly, and Mac continued. "Well, if you can get through that, then you can get through anything. Besides, you and I know that between the two of us we've been through more than our share of crosses to bare. Remember Switzerland?"
"Yeah. You tried to tell me to get out while I had the chance, but I didn't leave you to fend for yourself."
"And that's exactly what I'm doing for you now."
Two hours later, after Lisa had finished crying, reapplied her makeup, and had a chance to let everything sink in, the two friends decided to go out for some lunch. They dropped by Pete's to see if he cared to join them, and the three of them headed out to a small restaurant five blocks away from the hospital. Over lunch, Mac and Pete both caught Lisa up to speed on who was doing what at the Phoenix Foundation, and she gave them some details about a guy she'd been seeing back in Ohio.
"Now wait a minute here, Lisa. If you're seeing someone, I think as your temporary parental figure for the time being I need to approve of him first." Mac chided her as he ate his salad.
"Yeah." Pete put in with a wide smile. " think we need to check this guy out... You know, make sure he's right for you."
"Well, you're off the hook. We're not seeing one another any longer. He wanted me to go out with him for some drinks, but when I told him I was a recovering alcoholic, he broke off the relationship. I later learned that he wasn't only a social drinker, but that he'd been involved with a woman before, who had filed charges against him for having assaulted her while under the influence."
"Boy oh boy! Just when you think you're in the clear, something else comes up, doesn't it." Pete joked back.
"That's right. Trouble follows me everywhere I go, and ninety-nine percent of the time I don't even go looking for it."
Once they had finished their lunch, Pete said that he needed to return to the office, as he had a meeting to attend that afternoon. So, Mac and Lisa returned to Mac's house, where upon returning, they heard the answering machine click off after a message had been left. Mac entered the living room and pressed the playback button on the machine and both he and Lisa listened intently as the message began.
"Hello, Mr. MacGyver, this is Elena Sandival. I'm calling from Wilshire Memorial Hospital, and we're trying to get in touch with Lisa Woodman. It's regarding her father's condition. It is necessary for either one or both of you to come down here right away, as the situation is very urgent, and the doctor in charge requests that you be here. Thank you very much."
Lisa stood frozen to the spot. "Mac, how fast can you drive?"
Part 3
MacGyver and Lisa both raced through the hospital's main doors, and rather than taking the first available elivator, they opted to take the stairs. Mac's knee, surprisingly enough, gave him no trouble as the two friends made a mad dash for the fifth floor.
"Mac, what if..."
"Don't even think it, Lisa. You've got to be positive about this." Mac knew in his heart though, that the words were a false sense of security. He knew all too well himself what a difference only minutes could make in the battle of life and death. But he wasn't about to tell Lisa what his own mind was screaming, because he knew that hers was probably sending her the same message.
They reached the nurses' station in less than nine minutes, and were greeted by the doctor they'd seen earlier that morning. He ushered the pair aside, away from observation from any passersby, and bade them to sit. Lisa made no move for the chair, but Mac insisted that she sit.
"We're not going to have a repeat of this morning. Sit down, please."
Lisa sat, but didn't take her eyes from the doctor standing before them. His face shown no readable expression, and there was nothing about his manner to indicate anything in either direction. After a momentary pause, the man finally spoke up.
"Ms. Woodman, your father's condition is worse. I'm afraid that now not only has your father lapsed into a coma, but we had to put him on a ventilator in order to make it possible for him to breathe. I'm afraid that the outlook is not a comforting one, but that's not to say that we shouldn't be optimistic. I've had patients come off of the vent shortly after they were put on, but I must warn you that there haven't been too many successful outcomes... At least not in cases such as your father's."
Lisa was once again frozen in place. When she made no move whatsoever, Mac started to worry that she'd passed out from the shock again. But this time, as he watched her for any signs of understanding or comprehension, he noticed that she was now fighting back the tears which had been threatening to spill over. He reached out and took hold of the young woman's shoulder in a comforting gesture.
"Lisa? Lisa, it's okay. You've got to believe that he'll make it. C'mon...It's going to be all right."
Lisa held back the onslaught of tears for just a moment longer, long enough to ask a question of the doctor and wait for his reply. "So, what should we do now? What is there for us to do for my father, in order to help him come back to us?"
"I think there's something else you must know before I say any more. Your father has signed a DNR form, which says that..."
"I know what it says." Lisa's face dropped, and Mac could almost swear he saw her turn pale. "I...I know what a DNR form is. My mother signed one shortly before her death. But if he's signed the DNR, they why did you take the action of putting him on the vent?"
"Your father had expressed that should you not be present upon his immediate incapability to breath without the aid of a machine, that we place him on one for the time alotted for you to see him and say your good-byes. It was one of his wishes, and I made sure that it was carried out to the fullest."
Just then,the alarms sounded at the Nurses' station and a page was heard over the intercom system. "Dr. Crower, Code Blue ICU...Dr. Crower, Code Blue ICU."
"No!" Lisa felt the last of her reserves break their hold, and the floodgates opened. She dropped her head and began sobbing uncontrollably. Mac wrapped her in a comforting hug, and let her cry. He noticed that his own eyes were brimming with tears for his old friend. To him Erick Woodman could hardly be called an acquaintance, since the two men had become friends at the time of his very first meeting with Lisa in Switzerland. Erick had been greatful that Mac had kept his daughter safe from danger, and had called upon him for help when Lisa had been kidnapped several weeks later.
She didn't know how long it had been, but she suddenly snapped out of the semiconscious state she'd fallen into after her tears had begun to fall. Lisa realized that she was leaning heavily against Mac, and as she looked up, she could clearly see the traces of tears on his face. She slowly moved to straighten herself into an upright position, and felt a sharp twinge in her back and neck. She ignored it, and sat up fully anyhow, regardless of the incessant throbbing that it caused.
"Lisa, are you all right?" It was Mac's voice she heard. She turned to face him and nodded her reply.
"Anything new?"
"Lisa, the doctor came out about twenty minutes ago and told me that your father had coded. Although your father has signed the DNR, the doctor has forestalled the request so that you could see your father once more. If you want too, I'll take you in now so you may see him."
"Please, Mac, would you come with me?"
Mac rose from his seat, and extended a hand to help Lisa stand up. As they made their way down the hall and into the ICU, Lisa shuddered. Mac draped an arm over her shoulders, and fell into step beside the woman whom he regarded almost as a daughter. The pair entered Erick Woodman's cubical, and Lisa went to stand before her father's bedside. She reached out and took hold of her father's hand. The hand was warm, but very limp as she held it in her own.
"Daddy, if you can hear me this is Lisa. I'm here, Daddy. And MacGyver is here too. I love you very much. I understand now why you didn't tell me about the other strokes you'd had over the last couple of years, and I'm not angry at you, not one bit. You just didn't want me to be in the situation I'm in now, right?"
As she finished her words, she thought that she felt a gentle pressure on her hand. As she watched her father's chest rise and fall with the assistance of the ventilator, she noticed his heart monitor. It was picking up rather steadily, as if he was responding to her words. Suddenly, Dr. Crower was at her side in minutes.
"It seems as if he's responding to you being here, and that he now wants to breathe on his own. Just look at that." Crower indicated the EKG activity of Erick Woodman's brainwave activity. As Mac and Lisa looked, the levels of activity began to spike up sharply. As soon as the ventilator was removed, and the breathing tube taken out, Lisa returned to her father's side. This time Mac went over to his other side and took hold of his other hand.
"Erick, it's MacGyver. Lisa and I have been worried about you."
In a very faint whisper of a voice, they all heard Erick Woodman reply, "Look after Lisa, MacGyver. She's no longer a child, but she'll need someone to be with her after I'm gone. I love you, Lisa."
Lisa began to cry once again, and she felt her father's hand tighten on hers. "I love you too, Daddy."
"I'll keep an eye on her, Erick. I promise." Mac replied to Erick Woodman's previous statement, as he noticed the heart monitor slowly begin to decrease in its rhythm. As the heart monitor slowed, both Mac and Lisa heard his final words. They were both a comfort and yet still difficult lot to absorb as the man lay before the two of them. He was dying, and he knew it.
"Thank you for everything, Mac. Lisa, you remember what I told you. I love you very, very much. Go after everything you want. Chase your dreams, and don't waste time with work like I did."
"Daddy." Lisa's words were cut off by the steady beeping of the heart monitor, indicating that Erick Woodman's heart had finally ceased its beating. Lisa watched numbly as the hospital staff entered and began to disconnect all of the assorted wires and tubes connected to her father's now lifeless body.
Part 4
Lisa stood frozen stiffly in place. She'd stood by and watched numbly as her father's coffin had been lowered into the grave. Mac stood beside her, an arm draped over her shoulders and watched sadly as a man he'd come to respect was laid to rest. Within a few moments, the coffin was settled in the whole and they were about to begin covering it when Lisa steped forward. She placed a single red rose on her fathers coffin and steped back as the men began to fill in the grave.
"C'mon, Lisa, let's go. Let's get you somewhere warm and then maybe we'll try for some food." Mac guided Lisa by the arm to the waiting car and the two of them climbed in. The car pulled away from the cemetery, with its windshield whipers sliding easily acrossed the windshield, ridding it of the specks of raindrops which had begun to fall. Lisa sat in the passenger's seat, and Pete sat in the back. Mac drove through the streets, in the direction of Pete's house. After Mac had called him to inform him that Lisa's father had passed away, he'd insisted on coming out to the hospital to be with them.
Two days after Erick's death, Lisa had mustered up enough strength to go back to her father's house. There she'd found a box with all of her father's important papers, including his last will and testament. She'd met with his lawyers for the reading of the will, and had abided by his exact wishes: to be buried beside her mother, his ex-wife. There had also been in the box a letter to herself and one to MacGyver. She had read hers right away, but Mac had opted to wait and read his afterwards.
"Listen, Mac," Pete began from the back seat. "why don't you and Lisa stay at my house for the afternoon. I've got some things prepared for the three of us, and I think it might be better if we stick with one another for now."
"Lisa, is that okay with you?"
"Thank you very much, Mr. Thornton. I do appreciate this, and everything you all have done for me."
Once they'd reached Pete's place, Lisa pulled Mac aside for just a moment. "Mac, have you read your letter yet?"
"No, why?"
"Well, my father put something in his letter to you, and he told me in mine that I should ask you about it."
Mac reached into his jacket pocket and extracted the white envelope and opened it. He removed the slip of paper, unfolded it and began to read.
"Dear MacGyver,
If you're reading this, then that must mean I'm gone. What I would like you to do is to just watch over Lisa. Even though she is now a grown woman and on her own, she'll need someone to keep an eye on things here for her. I cant just expect that she'll up and move back here and take over where I left off. I don't expect you to drop your life for my request, either. The company can manage itself, but I have placed my shares in my will and have bequeathed them to Lisa. I've also put some extra money aside in a fund for her, should she ever need it. I have, as a last show of my endless gratitude to both you and the Phoenix Foundation, placed forth a funding of money to aid your computer and grafics departments.
Lisa in an exceptionally bright and intelligent woman, with her mother's sensibilities and my spirit. I know that you will be there for her when she needs someone, and for that I am forever grateful. Please tell her this, and give her the key to the safety deposit box that I have left all the necessary papers in. It is at the bank, and I have left expliscit instructions that it was to be left care of you to my daughter. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to our family. I don't know how I will ever repay you for all that you have done for us in the past. You saved my daughter's life several times over, and made me realize just how important my family was to me. Thank you very much for all you have done, MacGyver, I'll never forget you for it.
Also, I have put some of the shares aside in your name. They are yours to do with what you wish. It will never be able to fully repay your constant kindness to us over the years, but I hope that it will help you in whatever way it can. You hold a fairly sizeable piece of a company which I am proud and honored to pass on to both yourself and my daughter.
Your friend,
Erick Woodman."
Mac finished reading the letter, and leant back against the car. By now the rain had stopped, and he suddenly was aware that Lisa was standing beside him. He looked atLisa for a moment, and then began to relay her father's message. When he'd finished, Lisa turned to face him fully and wrapped her arms around him in a very tight hug.
"Mac, I never expected him to go like this. What is left for me to remain in Ohio now? I may as well come back here and finish what he started."
Mac smiled at his friend and returned the hug. He released her and began walking towards Pete's front porch. Lisa soon fell into step beside him, and he gazed at her from the corner of his eye as he spoke.
"Lisa, your father didn't want you to drop what life you have in Ohio and come back here to take his place. Now, if that is what you really want to do, then I say go for it. But you have to remember that he also told you to follow your dreams and not to become a workaholic like he'd become. So, think about things before you rush into something. Promise us at least that much."
"All right, Mac, I promise I'll give it some serious thought before doing anything. And thank you for being here for me once again when I needed you."
"You're welcome, Lisa, you're very welcome."
The End
Author's note:
This is my first Mac fanfic, so please be kind to me. I know it isn't full of the action or as much adventure as I've come across in several of the other fanfics posted to the virtual seasons website, but this story just begged to be written. I enjoy writing, not only fanfics, but original works as well. Check out my website at:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/llavigna/
There you will find my other fanfiction works, as well as one nonfanfiction work that has taken me four years to work on. It is unfinished as of yet, but hopefully I will have it done by the end of the year. I love feedback on everything and anything, so please, email me.
:llavigna@nycap.rr.com
And again, thanks for reading!
LML
By: LML
Part 1
The paramedics rushed through the double doors in a frenzy, making a mad dash for the two doctors who were ready and waiting. In front of the two medics, lay an unconscious man on a stretcher, who by this time was starting to code.
"I need an EKG and I want an updated status report on his vitals, stat!" The man barking the orders looked as though he'd definitely been around for quite some time. He was a well-seasoned man of his profession, and this patient had been here before. He looked at the unconscious man's face for a time before he spoke softly. "C'mon, Erick, don't you dare give up on me now. You've got too damned much keeping you from dying. Fight for it, Erick!"
He began to administer proper treatment for the man's current condition, and was pleased when he saw the coloring return to the man's face. As he attached an IV to the man's arm, the man's breathing normalized and he clearly heard him say, "Thanks, Doc. Could someone call my daughter?"
*****************
MacGyver was sitting in his living room reading the latest Hockey scores, when all of a sudden he heard someone knocking at his door. It was only 9:30:pm so he wasn't too incredibly worried. He set his paper down on the coffee table and headed for his door. As he looked through the keyhole, he didn't recognize the figure standing on the other side of the door.
"May I help you?" He opened the door enough so that the amount of light in the room spilled out onto the doorstep. She was a blonde-haired woman, mid to late twenties, average height, and very slim.
"I'm incredibly sorry for disturbing you this late in the evening, sir, but I'm looking for a man by the name of MacGyver."
"Well, you've found him. And you are?"
"Lisa Woodman. Only the last time you saw me, it was about ten years ago and I wasn't in the best shape."
Mac stood there for a second, dumbfounded. Lisa Woodman? It had been such a long time, almost a full decade since he'd seen his young friend last. He looked the young woman over, marveling at how much of a grown woman the child of long ago had become. At first he had no voice, but soon found it. "Come on in!" He swung the door open as wide as it would go and stepped aside to allow the woman entrance. "How've you been! It's great to see you, Lisa."
"Good to see you too, MacGyver. As for how I've been, well I've been good and then not so good. But you know about that part."
Mac pointed to the couch and motioned for Lisa to sit. "So when did you get into town? And why didn't you call me?"
"Only an hour ago. I got a taxi and came over here before I head to a hotel. I hope you don't mind."
"No I don't mind, not at all! It's great to see you. You've really grown up, Lisa. How's your father doing?"
"Well, that's the reason I came to see you. He isn't doing so well. He had a small stroke the other day, and was rushed into the hospital. I was only phoned last night about the emergency, and I rushed here from back East as soon as I could. I can't get in to see him until tomorrow, and I didn't exactly relish the idea of spending my first several hours here in some dreary hotel room, waiting for something to happen. I hope you don't mind me dropping in on you like this. If I've come at a bad time, I can always..."
"Not a chance! Do you have reservations at a nearby hotel?"
"The hotel I have reserved a room in is about a half-hour away from here. He's at the hospital here in town, but it was all I could find at such short notice. I guess there's some convention going on here this week."
"Oh yeah. That would be the one for all the photo journalists. Sam's attending that all week."
"Sam?"
MacGyver realized that he'd been thinking out loud and immediately explained. "I've got a son. His name is Sam, and he's twenty-four years old."
"What son? What are you talking about, MacGyver?"
Mac explained how he'd met Sam and how they'd become a family together in the past several years. As they talked, an idea suddenly occurred to Mac.
"Lisa, cancel those reservations. You'll stay here in my guest room."
"Oh no, I couldn't impose!"
"It's not an imposition, I offered it to you. Besides, your closer to the hospital."
"Okay. Thank you very much, Mac. I accept your offer. Do you mind if I use your phone?"
"Right over there." Mac pointed to the phone on the stand in the corner of the room and left to give Lisa some privacy.
In the background he could hear Lisa's half of the conversation. "Hi, my name is Lisa Woodman. I'm calling about a patient, Erick Woodman. I just got into town and was concerned about his condition. Has there been any change either way? Yeah, okay...I understand. Thanks."
He entered his kitchen and reached into the refridgerator, pulling out a carton of orange juice and a two-liter bottle of Pepsi. He pulled two glasses from the cupboard and poured the contents of the respective drinks into each cup. He reentered the living room just as Lisa was finishing up her phone call.
"Here. I brought us some drinks. Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks."" Lisa took the cup Mac offered and took a long sip. "So how's Mr. Thornton doing?"
"Pete is doing just fine. He's no longer the director of Field Operations at the Foundation. There are several new players now, but Pete is still at the Foundation, as am I."
Mac and Lisa talked for another hour, and then they both decided to get some much needed rest. Mac said he'd even take her to the hospital the next morning, as he wanted to see her father himself.
The next morning, Mac was awakened by the scent of cooking food coming from his kitchen. At first he wasn't sure where he was or what was going on. Had Sam come over for breakfast, and in seeing that Mac had not as of yet risen, decided to make breakfast? Then he remembered the convention that Sam had been attending all this week. He resigned himself to get p out of bed and see what was what. Then it all came back to him, Lisa, her father, and the hospital. As he rose from his bed, he could feel the twinge of pain in his knee.
"I think I might need a few days off." Mac thought to himself as he quickly threw on some jogging clothes and headed toward the kitchen. Upon his arrival, Lisa set a plate of eggs and toast on the table. She turned from the stove long enough to smile and incline her head toward the piping food.
"Eat up. Breakfast is, after all, the most important meal of the day."
"You sound just like Sam and Pete, you know that?"
"Yeah, well, that's just me." She had by this time turned back to the stove and was flipping two very delicious omlets onto a plate. As she worked, they chatted about the more mundane topics. Lisa brought her plate over to the table and sat down across from her friend.
"So, Lisa," Mac began as he ate his breakfast, "how've you been doing? The last time I saw you was about ten years ago. How are things going for you? What have you been doing lately?"
"After I got the help I needed, I decided to head to college. I'd considered being a lawyer, but then I realized that being a lawyer meant more than I was really willing to sacrifice at the time. So, after I took several courses in office managing, I went to work at a realistate agency as a secretary. Not too much has happened lately, at least nothing as earth-shattering as what I had to deal with when I was a kid."
Mac smiled at his friend. It really had been a long time, too long. "Well, while you're here visiting your father, I'd like to take you around and show you what's changed in the past few years. I have a few days of vacation time owed to me, and since Sam's at the photojournalists convention for the week, how about I spend it with you and your father?"
"Thank you very much, Mac. I know he'd love to see you. How long has it been since you saw each other?"
"Oh, probably about the same amount of time since I last saw you. I've heard over the years that he's been doing quite well, and that he's been very busy."
"That's my dad, always busy. I swear, Mac, he never takes any time for himself. He never has. Even when Mom died, he never really took enough time for himself."
After they'd finished their breakfast, the two got ready for their day. Mac checked to be certain that he turned on his answering machine before they left, shut off the lights, and grabbed his keys from his jacket pocket. Once in the car, Lisa spoke up.
"You know something, Mac, I never really got to tell you how greatful I am to you for making me realize that I had a problem. I really did appreciate it, and I'm very greatful to you for caring enough to get involved."
"Lisa, I'm just glad you listened when I lectured. If I haven't told you already, I'm very proud to see how well you've turned out. You're a beautiful young woman, with a whole lot of possibilities ahead of her."
Mac turned onto the road leading to the main parking lot for the hospital, and found a space very close to the door. He and Lisa entered and asked which room her father was in.
"Ms. Woodman, the doctor's with your father right now. If you and your friend would please wait over in the waiting area, someone will be right out to see you in a little while."
"Wait a minute." Lisa looked very confused. "If something's wrong, I want to be made aware. I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on. Please, this is my father we're talking about. Please tell me what's changed since last night."
The nurse at the desk looked genuinely perplexed. She hadn't been the nurse on duty the night before when Lisa had called to check on her father, of course, but she'd been there since his episode this morning. She wasn't too sure if she should tell the woman what she wanted to know and risk her job, or wait for the doctor to tell her and risk hearing about it from the woman later on. Better wait and risk an angry woman, rather than an angry doctor.
"Ms. Woodman, if you'll please go and sit in the waiting room, the doctor will be with you shortly."
Lisa was about to protest, when Mac took hold of her arm. His grip was gentle, but firm, as were his words. "Lisa, come on. Let's go and wait for the news. I know that's not what you want to hear, but right now it's all we can do."
Mac led Lisa over to a row of chairs and the two of them sat down. Lisa looked like she was about to break down and cry, but she refused to let herself become vulnerable. She didn't want to show Mac how weak she could be in very difficult situations. As they sat, Lisa began absentmindedly thumbing through a magazine on the nearby table.
"Are you going to look at those pages and the words on them, or are you just going to sit there and turn them?"
"Huh?" Lisa hadn't realized that Mac had just spoken to her. "Oh. I'm sorry, Mac, I guess I was lost in thought there for a minute."
"It's okay. I understand."
Thirty minutes later, a doctor in a white labcoat entered the waiting room and approached the two friends.
"I'm looking for either Lisa Woodman, or someone here for Erick Woodman."
"I'm Lisa Woodman. How's my father, Doctor?"
The doctor gestured for Lisa and Mac to follow him to a more secluded area, and then he turned to face them. "Ms. Woodman, your father has suffered several very mild strokes. Now, normally if a person suffers one mild stroke, there is some cause for concern, however, it isn't as serious as the more severe ones. But I'm afraid that in your father's case, these strokes have been causing more and more damage over time."
"Over time? I was under the impression that this was his very first stroke. What aren't you telling me?"
The doctor looked very perplexed. Understandably, there was the issue of doctor/patient confidenciality to be concerned about, and given the fact that this was the man's daughter, he had a choice to make. He looked first at Mac, and then at Lisa.
"Ms. Woodman, your father's medical history shows quite a number of extremely mild strokes over the past several years. This latest one has given me a great deal of concern, since this morning he lapsed into a coma."
Part 2
Lisa, who was by now in shock, just stood there, not moving and not speaking. Mac reached out and took hold of her arm, and tried to coax her back to her seat. When she didn't move, he rose and took hold of her shoulders and practically lifted her from the floor.
"Come on, Lisa, its okay. It's me, Mac." Mac spoke to her as she still didn't respond, and then he watched her sink into the chair. At first it looked as though she'd started to come out of it, but as he watched, her body made no movement, except for the rise and fall of her chest. At least she hadn't stopped breathing, he thought to himself as he looked between Lisa and the doctor.
"What would you say that her father's prognosis is?"Mac stared long and hard at Lisa as he asked the doctor. He was pretty certain that it wasn't going to be good, but he had to know one way or the other.
"Well, sir, I'm afraid that it isn't good. If he doesn't regain consciousness within a day or so, it is very likely that he will remain in this condition for the rest of his life." He turned his attention on Lisa's slumped form. "Should I get someone to look at her?"
"No. I'll take her home and bring her by to see her father later when she recovers from the shock." Mac thanked the doctor and waited for him to leave.
He slowly reached for Lisa's arm, and realizing that she wasn't going to move of her own accord, he stood, and slung her over his shoulder.
"It's a good thing you're still shorter than I am, Lisa." Mac commented as he hefted her out of the hospital and to his waiting car. He placed her in the passenger's seat, wrapped the belt around her slender body, and closed the door.
After he'd made the short trip back to his house, he helped Lisa out of the car and brought her inside. At first she appeared to be much the same as before, but then he noticed a spark of something in her eyes.
"Mac? What...what happened? Where am I?"
"Back at my place. You fainted at the hospital. Do you remember what the doctor said, Lisa?"
"He said that my father is in a coma. He'd had another mild stroke this morning."
Lisa started to stand up, but thought better of it. Mac sat down beside her and gently took hold of her hand. "Lisa, whatever happens, I'll be here for you and your father. I didn't desert you when you needed my help when you were younger, and I'm not going to desert you now."
"You know, Mac, I've been wondering about that. When I first met you, you were hurt. You asked for my help, and you put your trust in me. I could just as easily have turned you in to the security officials at the school, but you didn't think about that."
"To be honest, Lisa, I trusted you because I had a feeling about you. I saw something in you that I see in very few people when I first meet them. And besides, I could tell how lonely you were."
"That's right. It was parents day or weekend or something like that, and mine had phoned to say that they wouldn't be showing up. I was so hurt and angry with them, And then you came along, and you made me realize that rather than let things stay bottled up inside, it was better to get them out in the open. It was something my father understood, but my mother just didn't get it. You know, that was one of the reasons they split shortly after the whole ordeal."
Mac looked sober for a moment. He hadn't known the full reasons why Lisa's parents had separated, but he hadn't pried either. When he'd learned of the separation and pending divorce, both he and Lisa had once again been thrown into some pretty tough situations. Lisa's father had owned a steel mill, which due to lack of revenue being brought in, had been forced to shut down. One of the workers who had dedicated his life to the job, had retaliated by staging a kidnapping of none other than Lisa. However, things had gone wrong when instead of grabbing Lisa, the kidnappers had grabbed Lisa's best friend Inga.
"Lisa, I really cared back then, and I still do. You know I'm always here for you whenever you need me. And that goes for your father as well. I'm not going anywhere until I know that everything will be all right for the both of you. I don't care how many calls I get from the Phoenix Foundation."
Lisa, who had refused to let herself cry since arriving in L.A., finally broke that resolution. As the tears ran in rivulets down her cheeks, smearing her makeup, nothing else mattered. She realized that it was time to let it go, and get everything out in the open. Mac reached out and hugged the young woman whom he'd come to care about as a daughter to him.
"I just don't know how I can deal with this, Mac. It's not like I have to stay back in Ohio with my job, I'm sure that there are plenty of those here in L.A. But how will I take care of my father if he remains in a coma? I just don't know how..."
"Lisa, listen to me. Whatever happens, and whatever you have to do, I know that you can do it. Remember how you overcame your drinking problem and went to rehab?" Lisa nodded slightly, and Mac continued. "Well, if you can get through that, then you can get through anything. Besides, you and I know that between the two of us we've been through more than our share of crosses to bare. Remember Switzerland?"
"Yeah. You tried to tell me to get out while I had the chance, but I didn't leave you to fend for yourself."
"And that's exactly what I'm doing for you now."
Two hours later, after Lisa had finished crying, reapplied her makeup, and had a chance to let everything sink in, the two friends decided to go out for some lunch. They dropped by Pete's to see if he cared to join them, and the three of them headed out to a small restaurant five blocks away from the hospital. Over lunch, Mac and Pete both caught Lisa up to speed on who was doing what at the Phoenix Foundation, and she gave them some details about a guy she'd been seeing back in Ohio.
"Now wait a minute here, Lisa. If you're seeing someone, I think as your temporary parental figure for the time being I need to approve of him first." Mac chided her as he ate his salad.
"Yeah." Pete put in with a wide smile. " think we need to check this guy out... You know, make sure he's right for you."
"Well, you're off the hook. We're not seeing one another any longer. He wanted me to go out with him for some drinks, but when I told him I was a recovering alcoholic, he broke off the relationship. I later learned that he wasn't only a social drinker, but that he'd been involved with a woman before, who had filed charges against him for having assaulted her while under the influence."
"Boy oh boy! Just when you think you're in the clear, something else comes up, doesn't it." Pete joked back.
"That's right. Trouble follows me everywhere I go, and ninety-nine percent of the time I don't even go looking for it."
Once they had finished their lunch, Pete said that he needed to return to the office, as he had a meeting to attend that afternoon. So, Mac and Lisa returned to Mac's house, where upon returning, they heard the answering machine click off after a message had been left. Mac entered the living room and pressed the playback button on the machine and both he and Lisa listened intently as the message began.
"Hello, Mr. MacGyver, this is Elena Sandival. I'm calling from Wilshire Memorial Hospital, and we're trying to get in touch with Lisa Woodman. It's regarding her father's condition. It is necessary for either one or both of you to come down here right away, as the situation is very urgent, and the doctor in charge requests that you be here. Thank you very much."
Lisa stood frozen to the spot. "Mac, how fast can you drive?"
Part 3
MacGyver and Lisa both raced through the hospital's main doors, and rather than taking the first available elivator, they opted to take the stairs. Mac's knee, surprisingly enough, gave him no trouble as the two friends made a mad dash for the fifth floor.
"Mac, what if..."
"Don't even think it, Lisa. You've got to be positive about this." Mac knew in his heart though, that the words were a false sense of security. He knew all too well himself what a difference only minutes could make in the battle of life and death. But he wasn't about to tell Lisa what his own mind was screaming, because he knew that hers was probably sending her the same message.
They reached the nurses' station in less than nine minutes, and were greeted by the doctor they'd seen earlier that morning. He ushered the pair aside, away from observation from any passersby, and bade them to sit. Lisa made no move for the chair, but Mac insisted that she sit.
"We're not going to have a repeat of this morning. Sit down, please."
Lisa sat, but didn't take her eyes from the doctor standing before them. His face shown no readable expression, and there was nothing about his manner to indicate anything in either direction. After a momentary pause, the man finally spoke up.
"Ms. Woodman, your father's condition is worse. I'm afraid that now not only has your father lapsed into a coma, but we had to put him on a ventilator in order to make it possible for him to breathe. I'm afraid that the outlook is not a comforting one, but that's not to say that we shouldn't be optimistic. I've had patients come off of the vent shortly after they were put on, but I must warn you that there haven't been too many successful outcomes... At least not in cases such as your father's."
Lisa was once again frozen in place. When she made no move whatsoever, Mac started to worry that she'd passed out from the shock again. But this time, as he watched her for any signs of understanding or comprehension, he noticed that she was now fighting back the tears which had been threatening to spill over. He reached out and took hold of the young woman's shoulder in a comforting gesture.
"Lisa? Lisa, it's okay. You've got to believe that he'll make it. C'mon...It's going to be all right."
Lisa held back the onslaught of tears for just a moment longer, long enough to ask a question of the doctor and wait for his reply. "So, what should we do now? What is there for us to do for my father, in order to help him come back to us?"
"I think there's something else you must know before I say any more. Your father has signed a DNR form, which says that..."
"I know what it says." Lisa's face dropped, and Mac could almost swear he saw her turn pale. "I...I know what a DNR form is. My mother signed one shortly before her death. But if he's signed the DNR, they why did you take the action of putting him on the vent?"
"Your father had expressed that should you not be present upon his immediate incapability to breath without the aid of a machine, that we place him on one for the time alotted for you to see him and say your good-byes. It was one of his wishes, and I made sure that it was carried out to the fullest."
Just then,the alarms sounded at the Nurses' station and a page was heard over the intercom system. "Dr. Crower, Code Blue ICU...Dr. Crower, Code Blue ICU."
"No!" Lisa felt the last of her reserves break their hold, and the floodgates opened. She dropped her head and began sobbing uncontrollably. Mac wrapped her in a comforting hug, and let her cry. He noticed that his own eyes were brimming with tears for his old friend. To him Erick Woodman could hardly be called an acquaintance, since the two men had become friends at the time of his very first meeting with Lisa in Switzerland. Erick had been greatful that Mac had kept his daughter safe from danger, and had called upon him for help when Lisa had been kidnapped several weeks later.
She didn't know how long it had been, but she suddenly snapped out of the semiconscious state she'd fallen into after her tears had begun to fall. Lisa realized that she was leaning heavily against Mac, and as she looked up, she could clearly see the traces of tears on his face. She slowly moved to straighten herself into an upright position, and felt a sharp twinge in her back and neck. She ignored it, and sat up fully anyhow, regardless of the incessant throbbing that it caused.
"Lisa, are you all right?" It was Mac's voice she heard. She turned to face him and nodded her reply.
"Anything new?"
"Lisa, the doctor came out about twenty minutes ago and told me that your father had coded. Although your father has signed the DNR, the doctor has forestalled the request so that you could see your father once more. If you want too, I'll take you in now so you may see him."
"Please, Mac, would you come with me?"
Mac rose from his seat, and extended a hand to help Lisa stand up. As they made their way down the hall and into the ICU, Lisa shuddered. Mac draped an arm over her shoulders, and fell into step beside the woman whom he regarded almost as a daughter. The pair entered Erick Woodman's cubical, and Lisa went to stand before her father's bedside. She reached out and took hold of her father's hand. The hand was warm, but very limp as she held it in her own.
"Daddy, if you can hear me this is Lisa. I'm here, Daddy. And MacGyver is here too. I love you very much. I understand now why you didn't tell me about the other strokes you'd had over the last couple of years, and I'm not angry at you, not one bit. You just didn't want me to be in the situation I'm in now, right?"
As she finished her words, she thought that she felt a gentle pressure on her hand. As she watched her father's chest rise and fall with the assistance of the ventilator, she noticed his heart monitor. It was picking up rather steadily, as if he was responding to her words. Suddenly, Dr. Crower was at her side in minutes.
"It seems as if he's responding to you being here, and that he now wants to breathe on his own. Just look at that." Crower indicated the EKG activity of Erick Woodman's brainwave activity. As Mac and Lisa looked, the levels of activity began to spike up sharply. As soon as the ventilator was removed, and the breathing tube taken out, Lisa returned to her father's side. This time Mac went over to his other side and took hold of his other hand.
"Erick, it's MacGyver. Lisa and I have been worried about you."
In a very faint whisper of a voice, they all heard Erick Woodman reply, "Look after Lisa, MacGyver. She's no longer a child, but she'll need someone to be with her after I'm gone. I love you, Lisa."
Lisa began to cry once again, and she felt her father's hand tighten on hers. "I love you too, Daddy."
"I'll keep an eye on her, Erick. I promise." Mac replied to Erick Woodman's previous statement, as he noticed the heart monitor slowly begin to decrease in its rhythm. As the heart monitor slowed, both Mac and Lisa heard his final words. They were both a comfort and yet still difficult lot to absorb as the man lay before the two of them. He was dying, and he knew it.
"Thank you for everything, Mac. Lisa, you remember what I told you. I love you very, very much. Go after everything you want. Chase your dreams, and don't waste time with work like I did."
"Daddy." Lisa's words were cut off by the steady beeping of the heart monitor, indicating that Erick Woodman's heart had finally ceased its beating. Lisa watched numbly as the hospital staff entered and began to disconnect all of the assorted wires and tubes connected to her father's now lifeless body.
Part 4
Lisa stood frozen stiffly in place. She'd stood by and watched numbly as her father's coffin had been lowered into the grave. Mac stood beside her, an arm draped over her shoulders and watched sadly as a man he'd come to respect was laid to rest. Within a few moments, the coffin was settled in the whole and they were about to begin covering it when Lisa steped forward. She placed a single red rose on her fathers coffin and steped back as the men began to fill in the grave.
"C'mon, Lisa, let's go. Let's get you somewhere warm and then maybe we'll try for some food." Mac guided Lisa by the arm to the waiting car and the two of them climbed in. The car pulled away from the cemetery, with its windshield whipers sliding easily acrossed the windshield, ridding it of the specks of raindrops which had begun to fall. Lisa sat in the passenger's seat, and Pete sat in the back. Mac drove through the streets, in the direction of Pete's house. After Mac had called him to inform him that Lisa's father had passed away, he'd insisted on coming out to the hospital to be with them.
Two days after Erick's death, Lisa had mustered up enough strength to go back to her father's house. There she'd found a box with all of her father's important papers, including his last will and testament. She'd met with his lawyers for the reading of the will, and had abided by his exact wishes: to be buried beside her mother, his ex-wife. There had also been in the box a letter to herself and one to MacGyver. She had read hers right away, but Mac had opted to wait and read his afterwards.
"Listen, Mac," Pete began from the back seat. "why don't you and Lisa stay at my house for the afternoon. I've got some things prepared for the three of us, and I think it might be better if we stick with one another for now."
"Lisa, is that okay with you?"
"Thank you very much, Mr. Thornton. I do appreciate this, and everything you all have done for me."
Once they'd reached Pete's place, Lisa pulled Mac aside for just a moment. "Mac, have you read your letter yet?"
"No, why?"
"Well, my father put something in his letter to you, and he told me in mine that I should ask you about it."
Mac reached into his jacket pocket and extracted the white envelope and opened it. He removed the slip of paper, unfolded it and began to read.
"Dear MacGyver,
If you're reading this, then that must mean I'm gone. What I would like you to do is to just watch over Lisa. Even though she is now a grown woman and on her own, she'll need someone to keep an eye on things here for her. I cant just expect that she'll up and move back here and take over where I left off. I don't expect you to drop your life for my request, either. The company can manage itself, but I have placed my shares in my will and have bequeathed them to Lisa. I've also put some extra money aside in a fund for her, should she ever need it. I have, as a last show of my endless gratitude to both you and the Phoenix Foundation, placed forth a funding of money to aid your computer and grafics departments.
Lisa in an exceptionally bright and intelligent woman, with her mother's sensibilities and my spirit. I know that you will be there for her when she needs someone, and for that I am forever grateful. Please tell her this, and give her the key to the safety deposit box that I have left all the necessary papers in. It is at the bank, and I have left expliscit instructions that it was to be left care of you to my daughter. Thank you for being such a wonderful friend to our family. I don't know how I will ever repay you for all that you have done for us in the past. You saved my daughter's life several times over, and made me realize just how important my family was to me. Thank you very much for all you have done, MacGyver, I'll never forget you for it.
Also, I have put some of the shares aside in your name. They are yours to do with what you wish. It will never be able to fully repay your constant kindness to us over the years, but I hope that it will help you in whatever way it can. You hold a fairly sizeable piece of a company which I am proud and honored to pass on to both yourself and my daughter.
Your friend,
Erick Woodman."
Mac finished reading the letter, and leant back against the car. By now the rain had stopped, and he suddenly was aware that Lisa was standing beside him. He looked atLisa for a moment, and then began to relay her father's message. When he'd finished, Lisa turned to face him fully and wrapped her arms around him in a very tight hug.
"Mac, I never expected him to go like this. What is left for me to remain in Ohio now? I may as well come back here and finish what he started."
Mac smiled at his friend and returned the hug. He released her and began walking towards Pete's front porch. Lisa soon fell into step beside him, and he gazed at her from the corner of his eye as he spoke.
"Lisa, your father didn't want you to drop what life you have in Ohio and come back here to take his place. Now, if that is what you really want to do, then I say go for it. But you have to remember that he also told you to follow your dreams and not to become a workaholic like he'd become. So, think about things before you rush into something. Promise us at least that much."
"All right, Mac, I promise I'll give it some serious thought before doing anything. And thank you for being here for me once again when I needed you."
"You're welcome, Lisa, you're very welcome."
The End
Author's note:
This is my first Mac fanfic, so please be kind to me. I know it isn't full of the action or as much adventure as I've come across in several of the other fanfics posted to the virtual seasons website, but this story just begged to be written. I enjoy writing, not only fanfics, but original works as well. Check out my website at:
http://home.nycap.rr.com/llavigna/
There you will find my other fanfiction works, as well as one nonfanfiction work that has taken me four years to work on. It is unfinished as of yet, but hopefully I will have it done by the end of the year. I love feedback on everything and anything, so please, email me.
:llavigna@nycap.rr.com
And again, thanks for reading!
LML