Hey babes! Back again with a new fic for you all within this little universe we've created. Been sitting on this one for a while, mostly done, waiting for the right time to post. And I think that a random Sunday night before I go to bed is the perfect time.
This one's got a little bit of family feels for ya, but mostly it's just angst, and Mac being worried out of his mind.
Enjoy!
Mac doesn't think much of it when he answers his phone through a sleep-induced haze, doesn't even bother to check the caller id. His sleep-addled brain tells him that it's probably Riley calling to see if he needs her to pick up anything at the store after she picks up the kids from school, though off the top of his head he can't think of anything. And he's too tired to get out of bed at the moment to check. They'd gotten back from an op pretty late last night and while Riley had crashed almost immediately when her body hit their bed, Mac was wide awake all night. They don't take nearly as many missions now as they used to before they had kids, especially missions overseas. But every once in a while they'll be needed for an op that requires their specific skill sets.
Thankfully, the mission didn't last too long, so they were back on the Phoenix jet early enough in LA time for Riley to call Diane and let her know that they'd be picking the older kids up from school. And while Mac would have normally gone with Riley, he was well on his way to passing out from exhaustion when she was getting ready to leave so she could run a few errands before heading to get the kids.
Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, he knows that school is well over by now. So if Riley is at the store getting a few more things then it'll be a little while until she gets home.
"Hey, Riles," he says as soon as he answers the call, his eyes falling closed again as he rolls back onto his pillow, his cellphone held firmly against his ear. "What's up?"
"Mr. Macgyver? This is Jenny Porter, from Gardner Street Elementary."
He blinks a few times and then furrows his brows. "Oh." He shifts in the bed, pulling himself up into a sitting position and running a hand over his face as he breathes deeply. "Uh, sorry. I was expecting my wife."
"It's alright. And I was actually calling about your wife. She hasn't shown up yet to get your daughters or Dion Bozer, and Ellen was insistent that your wife would be picking the three of them up today instead of their grandmother."
"Uh, yeah, she should have been there by now." His brows furrow tighter as he thinks over the situation. "She never showed?"
"No, I'm afraid not. The kids are all waiting here in the office."
"Okay. Thank you." He quickly glances at the time on his phone. "I should be there in about fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. Could you put Ellen on the phone for me, please, if it's possible?"
"Of course. It'll be just a moment."
"Thank you." He throws the blanket off his body and stands from the bed, moving about the room to change his clothes, his heart beating faster inside his chest. He just needs to keep his mind focused on the immediate task at hand; picking up the kids.
"Dad?"
His entire body relaxes momentarily at hearing his eldest daughter's voice. "Hey, Ellie. Are you kids okay?"
"Yeah, we're okay. Where's mom? Nana said that mom was picking us up today."
Mac swallows thickly as he makes his way toward the front door. "I'm...I'm not sure where your mom is right now. She probably just got stuck somewhere and her phone died."
"Mom's phone doesn't die."
He internally chastises himself, sometimes forgetting how smart and perceptive his eight-year-old is. Of course, she'd notice that Riley's phone is always charged and that his wife always carries a portable charger with her just in case.
Mac rubs a hand over his forehead and lets out a breath. "Right. I know. I'm sorry. I'm gonna come get you guys and drop you off at Nana's, and then I'll go figure out where mom is. I promise."
"Okay. I love you, dad."
"I love you too, Ellie. I'll see you soon."
He exchanges a few more words with the woman who had called him, and then he's grabbing his keys and wallet and is in his car on the way to the school. He selects Jack's name from his Favorites list as soon as he's on the main road, hitting the speaker button and setting it in one of the cup holders, the call immediately connecting to Bluetooth as soon as he turns the car on.
"Hey, man, glad you called," Jack's voice rings through the car's speakers. "I was just about to call you myself. I've been thinking recently that we—"
"Jack!"
"Whoa. What's with the sudden hostility, hoss? Do you not realize who you're talking to right now?"
Mac sighs heavily. "I know. Sorry."
"It's alright. Now, why don't you take a deep breath and tell ol' Jack what's got you sounding so frantic right now?"
Mac takes a slow, shaky breath. "Have you heard from Riley at all in the last hour or so?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Why? What's going on?"
Mac's knuckles turn white against the steering wheel, his heart rate picking up, despite his every effort to keep it under control. "I don't know. She was supposed to get the kids from school but apparently, she never showed. One of the ladies who works in the office called me. I'm on my way to get them now and drop them off with Diane, but Jack…"
"I know, I know. You get the kids, I'll call Matty and Bozer and see if we can't start to figure out where our girl might be."
He lets out a breath. "Thank you."
"No need to thank me, man. I love her too. I'll call you when we find something."
Mac spends the rest of the drive trying to keep his mind off of all the different ways this situation could go sideways. Though, for all he knows, her phone really could be dead, but there's a voice in the back of his mind that tells him that if that were the case, then she'd find the fastest way to contact someone and let them know not to worry. But all he's doing right now is worrying. He can't help it, that's his wife and mother of his children. He's not going to stop worrying until he can see her again. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
.
.
.
Pulling his car into the first open space he can find, Mac shuts the engine off and is out of the vehicle as fast as he can, doesn't even bother stopping to lock it. His hand clenches tightly around his keyring, breathing deeply and slowly as he makes his way up to the front of the elementary school. His mind is racing despite how much he's trying not to let it; he just needs to focus on his daughters, that's what's important at the present moment.
Stepping inside the building, he makes a beeline straight for the office, pulling the door open and moving toward the counter. He leans against the front of it, placing his hands on top. "Hi," he says a little breathlessly to the woman sitting on the other side. "I'm here for Ellen, Cassandra, and Dion."
"Mr. Macgyver."
Turning toward the voice, he finds the principal standing a few feet away. "Principal Lewis, hi. Are the kids okay?"
The woman nods. "Yes, they're fine. A little confused, of course, but they're doing relatively well. They're waiting for you in my office. Right this way." She gestures down the short hallway and then starts walking.
Mac follows behind her immediately, letting out a heavy breath of relief once he enters the office and sees his daughters and Dion sitting in chairs against the wall.
"Girls."
His daughters both let out a gasp at the same time and are up from their chairs and hugging him as soon as he drops to his knees. He runs a hand over the top of each girl's head and smiles softly at them. "Are you girls ready to go?" he asks, and when they nod he looks past them to Dion. "Hey, buddy. Are you ready to go too?"
Dion nods, standing from his chair and walking closer, his hands fiddling with the straps of his backpack. "Yeah. Where's Auntie Riley?"
"Yeah, daddy. Where's mommy?" Cassie asks, her head tilted and her brows furrowed tightly, one of her tiny arms wrapped around his neck. "Mommy was gonna come get us. Nana said so. Where's mommy?"
Mac sucks in a sharp breath. He hadn't prepared himself to answer that question just yet. At least, not to his children.
"Mom's phone died," Ellie answers before Mac has a chance to. "But dad's gonna go get her."
Mac smiles at his eldest daughter's words, pressing a lingering kiss to her temple. He wraps an arm around Cassie to lift her onto his hip as he stands, and then grabs hold of one of Ellie's hands. "Dion, can you take Ellie's other hand, please?" He breathes deeply as he looks up at Principal Lewis. "Thank you."
The woman nods. "Of course." She lowers her voice just a bit, "I hope whatever's going on you're able to figure it out quickly."
"Me too." He nods once politely and then moves out the door of the office. He keeps a secure hold on his daughters as he exits the school building and heads toward the car.
He quickly loads the kids into the back seat, grateful that they always carry a spare booster seat for times when they watch Dion too, and then gets himself settled back into the driver's seat. He starts the engine, glances through the rearview mirror to make sure the kids are still okay, and then pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road. The kids' chatter from the back helps to fill the silence, and he does his best to not let his mind wander too much to anything bad that could be happening to his wife. No matter what happens, he cannot let his mind go there, he has to stay positive.
Soon enough he arrives at Diane's house, pulling up against the front curb. He shuts the engine off and climbs out, pulling open the back door to let the kids out. He's not at all surprised that they're already out of their seats and is eternally grateful for the child locks on the doors. All three of the kids make a beeline for the front yard once their feet hit the ground, running around and finding some of the toys that had been left out the last time they were over.
"Kids, be careful, please," he calls out as he makes his way toward the house. He walks up the front porch steps and raps his knuckles against the wooden door, rocking back on his heels as he waits for it to open.
Mac lets out a heavy breath and shifts on his feet. He's antsy all over, every nerve ending on edge. He lets his eyes drift over to his girls running around on the front lawn; they're still relatively young and don't have a perfect understanding of what's currently going on, which he's somewhat grateful for right now. He'd rather they keep living unaware of exactly what's happening until he can figure it all out and explain it to them. Hopefully with Riley by his side.
The sound of the front door opening grabs his attention and he turns, smiling half-heartedly at his mother-in-law standing on the other side. "Hey, Diane."
"Mac, hi. Are you here to get Wyatt? I thought Riley was coming by to pick him up after she got the kids from school."
Mac's brows furrow together for a moment before he sighs heavily and hangs his head. "I forgot to call you."
"What's going on?"
Mac breathes deeply, preparing himself for whatever comes next. He opens his mouth to answer when Ellie and Cassie interrupt him, rushing toward the door.
"Nana!" they both shout, darting straight for Diane and attaching themselves to her legs.
Diane smiles down at the girls, hugging them and dropping kisses to the tops of their heads. "Hello, my loves."
"Nana," Ellie speaks up, leaning back and looking up. "Dion's here too, can we all go to the park? Or go get some ice cream?"
"Maybe a little later," Diane responds with a small smile, brushing some of Ellie's curls back. "Why don't you kids go inside and play for now? Your dad and I need to talk for a minute. Take your brother with you, he should be playing in the living room."
Ellie nods. "Okay. Come on, Cassie. Come on, Dion." She grabs her sister's hand and then Dion's hand and drags them inside the house, chatting away.
Diane turns toward him once the kids are out of earshot. "Do you want to come inside and talk?"
Mac shakes his head, swallowing down the lump in his throat when he remembers why he brought the kids over. "No, thanks. I, uh, I need to get going. I'm just...Riley's not answering her phone," he says, forcing back the tears threatening to spill over at the thought of something having happened to his wife. "If her phone was dead, which we both know doesn't happen, then the first thing she'd do is find a way to contact someone. But that hasn't happened. I've already called Jack and he's going to get everyone at the Phoenix working on finding her but I'm really worried."
Diane's face falls and she leans against the doorframe. "Do you have any idea where she might be?"
He shakes his head. "Not a clue. But uh, are you...are you okay to watch the kids for a while? I'm not sure how long it'll take to—"
"Of course it's okay. You know I'll always watch my grandbabies whenever I can. Even in an unfortunate situation like this. And Dion's a sweet boy, I don't mind watching him until his parents can get him." She steps forward and places her hands on his arms, ducking her head just enough to look him in the eye. "You go get her back, Mac. If anyone can find her and bring her home safely, it's you. I know you know that."
Mac nods, breathing deeply. "Right. Uh, don't...don't tell the kids just yet what's going on if they start asking questions. I think Ellie picked up on something being off, so just try to keep her distracted for as long as you can. I don't want them to worry if they don't have to."
Diane nods. "Of course."
"Thanks."
Without another word—he doesn't know what else he can say that won't have him on the verge of tears—he turns around and walks back to his car, his determination to find his wife finally starting to rear its head. Now that his kids are taken care of, he can focus on finding Riley and getting her home safely. That is his number one priority. Right now nothing else matters.
.
.
.
"What do we have?" Mac demands as soon as he enters the War Room, not even bothering to acknowledge anyone else that's there. His eyes are fixed on the people standing at the front of the room, internally praying for some kind of news, whether it's good or bad. He just needs to know something about where his wife might be.
Bozer looks at him with a deep frown and Mac can see the sympathy coming through. "Riley…Riley was taken."
In an instant the floor falls out from under his feet and his chest constricts tightly. His breath catches in his throat, his eyes prickling with tears. It's one of his worst fears come to life, right up there with something happening to one of their children. He's always feared this might happen but prayed that it never would.
Stumbling a little on his feet, Mac reaches out to steady himself, grabbing onto the nearest thing he can—Jack's arm. He holds tightly, swallows thickly, and then stands up straighter after a moment. He catches Jack's eye and gives him a small nod, silently letting him know he's good. But Jack remains dutifully at his side.
"What…what have you found?" Mac asks, grateful when his voice doesn't give away how he's feeling inside.
"Not much, unfortunately."
"How do we not have anything?" he nearly shouts. He's doing his best to keep himself composed, but now that he knows someone intentionally took Riley, every horrible thought he's been trying to keep at bay is finally starting to creep up on him. "We have to have something."
"Ashley's been working on the traffic camera footage in the area where Riley's phone last pinged, but so far there isn't much to go off of. We tried the getaway car but it's a dead end."
His jaw clenches tightly. "Show me."
"Mac, I don't think that's a good—"
"Matty, all due respect, but show me the damn footage."
His boss hesitates, then lets out a heavy sigh and nods. "Okay. Ashley?"
Mac moves closer to the large screen on the wall, holding his breath as he waits. He shifts from foot to foot, clenching and unclenching his fists, his mind moving rapidly through all the possibilities of who could have taken Riley and why. But he's coming up empty.
The screen lights up and he zeros in on the image of his wife walking toward her car in broad daylight, a canvas shopping bag hanging from one arm while that hand holds her phone, her car keys dangling from the other. His heart tightens immediately at the sight of her.
"Is there audio?" he asks no one in particular, keeping his eyes focused on the screen.
"No, there isn't," Ashley replies.
Mac lets out a huff of air and shifts on his feet again, watching on the screen as Riley gets closer to her car. Seconds later, a figure in a black hoodie appears, grabbing Riley from behind and holding what looks like a rag up to her face. She struggles, dropping everything she's holding onto as she kicks out her legs and uses her arms to try and hit the person behind her.
Mac forces his tears back at the sight; he needs his vision to be completely unobstructed as he watches this. It hurts, seeing his wife's struggling start to lessen as the video plays. And then she stops, going completely limp in the figure's arms.
He sucks in a sharp breath, watching as Riley is lifted into the man's arms with very little effort—he knows from personal experience how easy it is to pick Riley up—and loaded into a generic dark van. As soon as the figure jumps into the front passenger seat, the van speeds away out of view.
"This is all you were able to get?" he asks, spinning around and finding Ashley sitting in one of the leather chairs with her laptop open in her lap.
She nods. "Basically, yeah. I was able to track the car for a little while, but then it disappeared from all traffic cams."
"Well try harder to find it," he says. "We need to figure out where she was taken."
"Mac, I'm doing everything I can to find—"
"Clearly you aren't if you lost the van!" he shouts, his chest heaving and his heart racing.
Desi steps around the chair in an instant. "Stand down, Mac."
He whips his head toward her. "Don't tell me to stand down, Desi. That's my wife who's missing," he reminds her, pointing to the screen behind him that's frozen on the image of Riley's car, shopping bag, cell phone, and keys abandoned in a parking lot. "The mother of my children is gone and I have no idea where she might be. I can't lose her."
"And you think we can?" Desi fires back. "We all care about and want to find her too, Mac. So you need to get yourself together if you want to help us find her before I forcibly keep you away from this."
Mac breathes deeply and slowly, taking in everything that Desi just said. She's right. Everyone in this room wants to find Riley, to make sure she comes home safe and unharmed. He's not the only one who misses her. He's not the only one who cares about her. He's not the only one who loves her.
He nods slowly, shifting on his feet. "You're right." He glances past her to the blonde. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Ashley. I just...I need to find her."
Ashley smiles understandingly. "I know. I'd probably react the same way if something like this happened to Desi. And I know that if Riley was here she'd probably be a lot farther along with all of this than I am. Of course, if Riley was here we wouldn't be doing any of this in the first place. But I promise you I'm doing everything I can, using every trick that Riley's ever taught me, to try and find her."
He lets out a heavy breath. "I know you are." He turns around to look at Bozer and Matty. "I'm gonna step outside for a minute."
Bozer nods. "Whatever you need, man."
"Someone'll come and get you if we find something," Matty adds.
Mac nods silently and then moves toward the door, trying to keep himself together for just a moment longer. He needs a few minutes to get his head together; he hasn't stopped moving since all of this started and he needs a moment to breathe.
Stepping out into the hallway, Mac's grateful for whoever's foresight it was to make the windows of the war room opaque before he'd even arrived. He's also grateful that no one else is in the hallway as he sits down on the bench right outside and finally lets his emotions take over.
His entire body slumps forward, his eyes closing as his body starts to shake from his crying. There's no guarantee that Riley's being hurt in any way, but the chances are high, considering the way she was grabbed. Somebody wants her for something. They just have to figure out the who, where, and why. And he hopes they can get to where she is fast enough. He doesn't know how much more of this he can take.
His phone going off in his pocket makes him jump. He quickly wipes at his eyes and then digs his phone out, his eyebrows furrowing tightly at the unfamiliar number on the screen. He answers anyway, holding the phone up to his ear with a shaky hand. "Hello?"
All he hears on the other end is heavy breathing. And almost what sounds like a quiet sob. But he has to strain to hear it.
"Hello?" he tries again. "Who is this?"
The voice on the other end finally comes through, being just barely obscured by the sound of crying. "M-mac?"
He sucks in a sharp breath, his entire body going still and his hand tightening around his phone. "Riles?"
Another sob sounds in his ear. "Mac."
"Riley, are you okay?" he asks, standing from the floor as fast as he can and making his way back into the war room.
"I don't know," she replies. "It's dark. I can't see anything. And it's...it's small. Not a lot of room to move around."
"Try not to panic," he advises even though he's very close to panicking on the inside himself. "You need to slow your breathing so you can conserve oxygen for as long as possible." As soon as he steps foot inside the war room he locks eyes with Bozer, pulling the phone from his ear and covering the receiver. "It's Riley." He doesn't wait for anyone's reaction as he uncovers the receiver and hits the speaker button. "Riley, you're on speaker now. The whole team's here."
"Jack…" she manages to get out through her crying.
Jack moves closer and leans down toward the phone, resting a hand on Mac's shoulder. "I'm here, Ri, I'm right here. We're gonna find you and bring you home, honey."
"Riley," Bozer speaks up, "do you have any idea where you might be?"
"No. I'm...it's just dark. And small. And I'm lying down."
Mac's heart sinks a little inside his chest. He swallows thickly, forcing back the continuous dark thoughts that try and invade his mind. "You have a phone, though?" he questions, needing to get his mind to focus on something else.
"Y-yeah. But it's old-school. A burner, too, I think. No location services. So you can't track me through it."
Mac shifts on his feet, resisting the urge to hit something as he runs a hand through his hair. He just needs a lucky break, something to move this whole thing along.
"Guys! I think I've got something."
Mac spins on Ashley with pleading eyes, nearly dropping his phone in the process. "What is it?"
Ashley glances up at him. "The people who took Riley weren't the brightest bulbs in the box. Not only did they grab her in broad daylight, but they didn't cover their digital tracks very well. I took a chance and looked for any unusual cell activity in the surrounding area. Someone made a phone call right after Riley was grabbed, and it only lasted a few seconds, but it pinged off a cell tower in the same direction the van that took Riley was going."
"Do we have any idea who was on the other end of that call?" Matty asks.
"We will soon," Ashley replies, her fingers continuing to tap quickly against the keys of her computer.
"Mac...?"
His focus shifts immediately back to his phone when he hears Riley's voice. He switches it off speaker and presses the device to his ear, stepping away from the rest of the team as Ashley works. "Hey," he says softly. "We're doing everything we can to find you, okay? You just need to hang on until we get to you. I know you can do it. You're so strong and resilient, and you're gonna get through this. You trust me, right?"
She's quiet for a moment and then she sniffles. "Of course."
"Okay. I promise I am going to find you." He swallows thickly. "I love you so much, Riley."
"I love you too, Mac. Please...please don't hang up."
His throat tightens. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here, Riles, okay? I'm right here."
She sniffles again. "Okay."
Letting out a shaky breath, Mac turns around to face the rest of the team, his brows furrowing tightly when he notices that Jack and Desi are nowhere in sight. His eyes instantly find Bozer's and Mac doesn't need to speak for his friend to understand.
"They're going after the men who took Riley, to try and get her location from them."
His jaw clenches. "And you didn't tell me?"
"You're not in a good headspace right now, Mac," Matty tells him. "You're emotionally invested in this and—"
"And you think Jack isn't?! But you let him go. So why can't I?"
Bozer takes a few steps closer to him and rests a hand on his shoulder. "Because you need to be clear-headed and ready to go when they get her location. We all know that you're the first person she's gonna want to see."
Mac swallows thickly and nods silently, moving to sit in one of the empty chairs, his eyes focusing on the hardwood floor. A hand on his arm has him looking up to see Ashley offering him a reassuring smile. He gives her a strained smile back, his hand covering hers and squeezing gently.
His eyes drift back down to the floor and he takes more slow, deep breaths, trying to keep himself as calm and collected as he can. Bozer was right. He needs to be as clear-headed as he can be when they figure out where Riley is. He needs to be able to save her. He needs to bring her home.
.
.
.
Running as fast as his legs will let him, Mac moves across the freshly cut grassy field, being careful not to ram into any headstones on his way. His heart is pounding in his ears and his mind is racing. He only has one thing on his mind, though; getting to Riley.
He skids to a stop when he finally finds the right spot, the fresh, loose dirt in the ground giving it away easily. He's on his knees in an instant, clawing at the ground and pulling away as much dirt as he can with his bare hands.
He's vaguely aware of Jack and Desi in the distance, demanding some kind of tools or machinery to clear away the dirt. But he doesn't bother moving. He needs to get to her.
"Riley!" he shouts, hoping that she can hear him through the mounds of dirt. Their call had dropped as soon as he arrived at the correct cemetery and his mind had immediately feared the worst. But it also drove him to work as fast as possible to get to his wife. "Riley," he calls again as he keeps clawing at the dirt, "I'm right here, I'm gonna get you out. I'm right here."
"Mac, get back."
He only moves when Jack's arms wrap around him and pull him away. He struggles against the hold, though, trying to get back to the dirt so he can save his wife.
"Mac! Hey, you need to stop," Jack says, placing his hands on his shoulders to force him to look at him. "Let Desi and the caretaker get the dirt out of there. Then you can go in and be Riley's hero. Alright?"
Mac breathes deeply and nods, wiping at his face with the backs of his hands. "Yeah."
"We've got something."
Mac's head snaps in the direction of Desi's voice, his eyes falling to the hole in the ground, piles of dirt lining the outside. He rushes forward and slides down the sloped edge, his feet landing on top of a long wooden box.
"Riley," he calls as he pulls out his pocket knife and searches for the right tool he needs. "If you can hear me, I've almost got you. Just a little bit longer. I promise."
"Hurry up, man," Jack calls up to him.
He turns a glare on the older man. "You're not helping." He shifts his attention back to the box his wife is being held in, concentrating on undoing the screws of the hinges on one side. If he can remove the hinges, he can open the box and get her out. It's as simple as that.
He works fast, forcing his mind to stop thinking about all the ways this could still go bad. He can't think that way. He needs to stay positive.
Once he has the hinges removed, he tosses them aside and pries open the lid. Unfortunately, it's heavier than he anticipated, and he has to shuffle awkwardly to get his body out of the way enough to lift it. Thankfully, Jack and Desi help him from above, leaning down to grab the edge and lift.
The second he sees Riley he nearly bursts into tears right then and there. And it takes that split second of him seeing her for Riley to take in a big gasp of air, tears immediately building in her own eyes as she looks up at him.
"Mac?"
He smiles through his tears. "Yeah, I'm here. I'm right here." He slips down inside the box and immediately pulls his wife into his arms, holding her as close as he can and kissing the top of her head, gently rocking them from side to side. "I've got you, I'm right here."
She wraps her arms tightly around him, burying her face deep in the crook of his neck and clutching tightly to the back of his jacket. "I never saw it coming," she rasps out, her voice partially muffled. "I was on my way to get the kids and they got me by surprise."
"I know, it's okay," he assures her, rubbing a hand up and down her back. "We've got them, they're not going to hurt anyone else." He pulls away enough to look at her, brushing her hair back out of her face. "Are you really okay?"
She nods. "I think so. Are the girls…"
"I got them and Dion from school, they're with your mom right now."
She lets out a breath as she leans against him. "Good. I just want to go home now and see our babies."
He smiles, brushing her hair back and kissing her forehead. "That can definitely be arranged."
.
.
.
Even though Riley had gotten a complete bill of health from the doctor at the hospital, Mac can't help but still feel a little on edge as they drive home. They have her back, she's home safe, nothing truly bad happened. But it doesn't stop him from worrying. He's always going to worry about his family, that's just a given.
Pulling the car into the driveway of their house, Mac shuts off the engine and then looks over at his wife, watching her carefully. She's staring out the window with a far-off look in her eyes. Naturally, it worries him.
Reaching out, his fingers barely brush against hers and she jumps. His heart sinks just a little before remembering that she's still dealing with what happened in her own way. It's only been a few hours since they found her in that box, he can't rush her.
Without turning her head to him, Riley reaches back out and grasps his hand, lacing their fingers together and squeezing.
His heart returns to its place inside his chest and he smiles a little. "I'm right here, Riles."
She looks at him with a sad smile. "I know you are. Sorry for jumping like that."
He shakes his head. "It's not your fault. It's gonna take some time to get through this. But you're not alone, okay? I'm right here, just like always. And you've got the whole team behind you, and your parents, and Jack. Just tell us what you need."
She's quiet for a moment and then stretches across the console to kiss him, one hand cupping his cheek. "I love you."
He smiles. "I love you too. Do you want to sit here for another minute? Or do you want to go inside?"
"Are the kids inside?"
"They should be. I had Jack call your mom to bring them over. I think Bozer picked Dion up after we found you, so it should be just our kids inside."
"Then let's go. I wanna see them."
He nods. "Of course. Wait right there." He kisses her once more and then climbs out of the car, circles around the front, and pulls her door open for her. He smiles softly, extending a hand to help her out.
She smiles as she accepts his hand. "Such a gentleman."
He chuckles. "You're just now figuring it out?"
She shakes her head. "No, I've always known." She pushes the door closed behind her and laces their fingers together. "How scared were the kids when I didn't show up?"
Mac lets out a breath. "I don't think Ellie was letting herself be scared. Cass was pretty worried, and I think Dion was too, but Ellie kept them distracted with other things on the drive over and I'm sure it was the same while they were at your mom's. I could see the look on Ellie's face, though. She was holding it in for Cassie's sake."
Riley smiles up at him, cupping his cheek. "Like father, like daughter."
He offers her a small smile. "Yeah, I guess so. Now come on, I think everyone's inside waiting to see you." He gently pulls her along with him up to the house, finding the correct key on his keyring.
Once the front door is unlocked, he pushes it open and allows Riley to step inside in front of him. He lingers in the doorway for just a moment before closing and locking the door behind him.
"We're home," he calls through the house, not entirely sure where everyone is.
"Hello?" Riley adds to the mix.
The sound of three pairs of feet—something he's become very attuned to—echo against the hardwood flooring and then the three small bodies of their children appear around the corner.
"Mommy!"
Mac watches with a smile as Ellie, Cassie, and Wyatt dart toward Riley, tackling her in a hug. Mac reaches out in time to steady them, though, sinking to his knees with Riley and keeping an arm around her.
"I'm so happy to see you three," Riley says quietly, pressing kisses to all three kids' heads. "I'm so sorry I wasn't able to pick you girls up."
"It's okay, mom," Ellie says with a small smile. "It wasn't your fault. Dad promised he'd find you, and he did. 'Cause he's the best and he always keeps his promises."
Riley turns her head to smile softly at him. "Yeah, he is pretty great."
Stepping away to give Riley some time alone with the kids, Mac places his keys and wallet on the nearest surface and lets out a heavy breath. He runs a hand through his hair as he steps past his family and makes his way out to the deck. He's grateful that the team isn't there right now, that it's just him, Riley, their kids, and Jack and Diane.
The echo of shoes on the wooden steps draws his attention but he doesn't look away from the Los Angeles view spread out in front of him. He keeps his eyes locked on the skyline, the wind pushing lightly through his hair.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
The edges of his lips quirk up at hearing Jack's voice right next to him. "I just needed a second to breathe. To finally breathe." He looks at his friend and can feel his throat constricting again. "I almost lost her, Jack. A few more seconds and maybe—"
"Maybe nothin'," Jack cuts him off sternly. "You got her, Mac. She's home perfectly safe and sound. She's inside right now hugging your kids; your beautiful children still have their mama. That's all you need to focus on right now. Let that be what helps you get through this, alright?"
Mac nods, swallowing thickly. "Okay." He shifts on his feet, clearing his throat. "So, uh, so did you find out why Riley was taken? What the plan was behind that?"
Jack shakes his head. "I don't know all the details. I talked to Matty and all she said is that the people we got were members of some kind of trafficking group that you and Riley took down, something ya'll ran while I was gone. The guy who ran the thing was sent to prison but I guess some of his men got away and went into hiding for a while."
Mac's brows furrow as he thinks over all the ops he's been involved with over his years with the Phoenix Foundation. And there have been a lot. "I might know what you're talking about. Riley and I got the information we needed on the leader from inside his group. It didn't take long, maybe a day or two, but we got him. The guys who did this must have done it as some kind of...revenge thing. Make the both of us suffer for putting their leader away by burying Riley alive and probably killing her."
"Well, it's a good thing they weren't very smart and underestimated all the big brains over at the Phoenix," Jack says with a smile. "Their plan was doomed from the start."
"Yeah." Mac looks down at the wood paneling beneath him, his mind drifting again to all the ways the night could have turned out, and none of them are good.
A familiar hand resting on his shoulder pulls his attention and he lifts his head, smiling tightly at his mother-in-law. He remains quiet, though.
Diane just smiles softly at him and then pulls him down into a hug. She holds onto him for a moment and then pulls away, reaching up to gently cup his cheek. "Thank you for bringing my baby home. I never doubted that you would, but I couldn't go home tonight if I didn't tell you." She breathes deeply and then takes a small step back. "Riley was asking where you were and I told her you'd be in as soon as you could, figured you might need a few minutes out here. She said she's going to put the kids to bed because it's been a long day for all of you. Jack and I are going to head out now, but you call either of us if you need anything, okay?"
He nods. "Okay. Thank you, Diane."
She smiles. "Of course, sweetheart." She gives his arm a small squeeze and then makes her way down the steps and into the house.
Jack steps forward and pulls him into a big bear hug, holding him tight. "Try not to get too lost in your head, kid, alright?" He pulls back and looks him directly in the eyes. "You've got her back. Just focus on that." With a final hug, Jack's saying goodbye and then making his way down into the house to leave.
Turning back toward the city skyline, Mac lets out a heavy breath and tilts his head back. He closes his eyes for a moment, letting the cool breeze run through his hair again. A few minutes, he just needs a few more minutes to get his head together. And then he'll be good.
.
.
.
Flipping off all the lights in the house, Mac makes his way down the hall toward his and Riley's bedroom. It's been a long few hours, to say the very least, and he's more than ready to turn in and sleep for as long as his kids will let him. Given the events of the day, he's hoping that they'll take a hint and sleep in for a while in the morning.
As soon as he steps foot inside the room, he stops and smiles at the sight of Riley lying on her side of the bed with all three kids surrounding her. Wyatt is lying right on top of her, a complete mama's boy through and through, his lips parted a little as he sleeps. Ellie and Cassie are curled up on either side of Riley, though he can see that Ellie is snuggled in closer, part of Riley's sleep shirt clutched tightly in the eight-year-old's fist.
"I thought you were going to put them to bed," Mac remarks quietly as he moves further into the room, pulling his shirt off over his head and tossing it into the hamper.
"Technically, I did," Riley says back. "I just didn't put them in their own beds."
Mac chuckles, quickly changing into his pajamas and then crossing to the bed. He kneels carefully on the mattress, not wanting to disturb the kids, and leans down to kiss his wife. "Well, then, it's a good thing you four look so cute like this."
She smiles. "We did make some pretty cute kids, huh?"
"Cutest kids in the world."
She laughs quietly. "I'm sure every other parent in the world would disagree, but I don't care about that or anything else right now." She takes a deep breath, her arms circling a little more securely around their kids. "I'm back home with my family, and that's all I want to think about."
"You don't want to talk about what happened?" he asks carefully.
She shakes her head, running a hand over Wyatt's hair. "Not right now. I promise I will at some point, I just...I just wanna stay like this for a while and forget about everything else."
He smiles softly. "Whatever you want, Riles. And Bozer said he and Matty will only call us into work the next couple of days if it's absolutely necessary."
"Good. Because I don't want to be away from the kids at all tomorrow."
"Well, then it's a good thing tomorrow's Saturday."
Mac leans forward to kiss Riley again and then lets out a breath as he lies down on his pillow, shifting a little until he's comfortable. He smiles when Cassie immediately rolls over and curls up against him as if she knew he was right there. Riley likes to joke that their youngest daughter has a sort of sixth sense when it comes to him, always knowing where he is since day one, even in her sleep. Not that he minds it in the slightest. It's one of his favorite things.
Carefully pulling his daughter up onto his chest and settling a hand over her back, he moves closer to his wife and tilts his head to look at her, smiling softly. "I almost thought I wouldn't be able to find you," he admits to her, his voice barely above a whisper. "I kept thinking about having to explain to the kids why their mom wouldn't be coming home."
Riley reaches out to grab his free hand, lacing their fingers together and giving his hand a small squeeze. "I knew you'd find me," she says to him. "You always come through, Mac. Always. My trust in you has never wavered. Not once. If anything, it's only grown in all the years I've known and loved you. I know you're hard on yourself, and I get it. But you always come through in the end."
He swallows thickly, unsure of what else to say. So he stays silent, shuffling a little closer to his wife and kissing her slowly. "I love you," he whispers when he pulls away.
"I love you too." She's quiet for a moment before she smiles at him with tears shining in her eyes. "Thank you for finding me."
He smiles back, giving her hand a light squeeze. "I always will."
So? What did you think? Let me know in a review down below. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
I firmly believe that most shows (depending on the genre) need some kind of buried alive type of episode. You cannot change my mind on this.
Until next time,
Jellybean96 out!