Chapter Eight: Safe Delivery
MacGyver once more pulled into the little gas station on the edge of town, this time with the intent of filling the tank before resuming his journey. Three noses pressed against the back window, the girls unwilling to let him out of their sight even for a short time while he pumped the gas.
He tapped playfully on the window as he finished and put the nozzle back in its place. "All right, kiddoes; stay here and be good while I run in and pay."
Fear leapt into Mari's eyes and she reached for the door handle, but MacGyver shook his head. "I won't be two minutes, an' I'll have an eye on ya the whole time." He headed toward the little convenience shop at a near run, the bell over the door jingling as he pushed it open.
He had intended only to pay for the gas, but an object folded on one of the shelves caught his eye, and he set it on the counter.
He was stuffing his change into his pocket as he headed back out, opening the driver's door barely two minutes after he had left. "Miss me?" he teased, tossing his purchase on the front passenger seat.
"Teddy thought someone'd come an' grab us again while you were gone!" Lucie said solemnly.
MacGyver reached back to scratch the bear's ears, wincing slightly as the motion pulled at his shoulder. "You tell teddy no one's grabbin' ya on my watch. Now buckle up back there, an' let's go."
Safe with MacGyver in the car and excited to be going home, the girls chattered eagerly to him and each other. MacGyver answered them when a remark seemed to warrant it, but mostly just listened with a smile as he drove.
After about an hour or two, their voices grew quieter and then stopped altogether. Glancing in the rearview mirror, MacGyver saw them curled up together like a pile of sleepy puppies. "Thought so," he murmured, pulling to the side of the road. Jumping out of the car, he shook out the blanket he had purchased and spread it over the girls, shifting Juli to a more comfortable position and tucking Lucie's teddy more securely in her arms. *
Not quite asleep yet, Mari blinked up at him. "Mr Mac?" she mumbled.
"Shh. Go to sleep, honey; I'll wake you when we get there."
Mari smiled drowsily. "'Kay. G'night, Mr Mac."
"Sweet dreams." He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand and shut the door as softly as he could.
oOo
The police station in front of which MacGyver pulled to a stop looked very like the one he had left several hours before, and for a moment he wondered about the wisdom of bringing the girls here. But they trusted him, and any doubts would surely be dispelled when they saw their parents.
"Wake up, sleepyheads," he called over his shoulder before jumping out and once more opening the back door. Lucie yawned, rubbing her eyes, before going willingly to MacGyver's arms and laying her head on his shoulder.
"I thought we were going home," Mari said in a small voice, looking at the building with wide eyes as Juli pressed against her.
"You are," MacGyver assured her. "This is the Pine Valley police station, an' there's someone here I think ya wanna see." He ushered them forward with a hand on Mari's back, reaching over her head to open the door for them.
In an instant, Lucie was scrambling down from MacGyver's arms as she spotted her mother sitting in the waiting room. "Mama!"
MacGyver grinned, leaning one hand on the doorframe as he listened to the excited Spanish babble of their reunion.
As Mari and Juli's mother was occupied with both girls, their father stepped forward to shake MacGyver's hand. "I can't thank you enough," he told him.
MacGyver grinned, clasping the offered hand in both his.
"Muchos gracias, Señor MacGyver," Lucie's mother seconded, looking up for a moment from kissing her daughter.
"De nada," MacGyver replied. "It was my pleasure."
* Illustration for this scene can be found at www . deviantart . com [slash] femalechauvinist [slash] art [slash] Sleepytime-868449388
Epilogue coming next week! (Unless the library closes again. Due to a recent change on the Fanfiction website, I may not be able to post from my phone, as I did over the spring and summer.)
I proofread all my stories at least once before posting, but if you see any mistakes I might have missed, please let me know!
Please note that I have only minimal internet access, and may not have time to respond to all reviews/messages. (But they are much appreciated, even if you're reading this story long after I originally post it!) If you have questions regarding my MacGyver alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie