Chapter Fifteen: Au Revoir
Hey! So don't hate me! I had to make Jack go away in order for the next sequel to occur. Do you forgive me?
Matty's office…
A few days later…
When your family is in danger, you want to do whatever you can to protect them. My family was a found one. As you are, by now, no doubt aware, my biological father – James MacGyver- wasn't good to me. Jack would laugh at that and say I'm letting him off easy, but I see little point in dwelling over him now. James took enough of my life; I'm not going to let him take to rest of it now that he's dead. His death gave me chance to get some closure and move on.
"Jack?" Matty answered the phone.
It was Jack. Matty had been waiting anxiously for this phone call.
A few days later she had dropped the bombshell that Tiberius Kovac was alive and back for revenge. Jack had asked for a few days to think about what he wanted to do. Kovac was dangerous and there was a high chance that he would hunt Jack down and put his family in danger. A task force was being set up and if he wanted to him could head it up. It was a hard decision. Did he leave his family, or did he hunt down Kovac who had killed many of his brothers in arms and who would no doubt threaten his present family?
Mac told him to go. It was almost enough to make him stay. Right now, Mac needed him and would never say. The only thing was Kovac had a grudge against him. If he left he would save them from that danger. Curse Murdoc and James MacGyver!
After a few days to think it over, Jack had decided.
"I'm going to hunt Kovac down." He came straight to the point. If he didn't he would never make a decision and time was running out. As it always was.
"Jack-" Matty began but was interrupted. She normally hated that unless it was necessary. Now seemed like a time it wa necessary and anyway, Matty couldn't bring herself to rebuke him.
"Believe me, Matty, I've thought about this. I've been going to and fro with this decision. I need to do this not just for me, but for everyone." Jack sighed. This was either going to be the best decision he made or the worst one. "Mac needs me too though, so I am coming up with a compromise. I also need you to do me a favour."
"Anything, Jack, Anything."
It seems though, that even beyond the grave, James is making my life difficult. This time it was bringing up an old enemy of Jack's. This enemy was as dangerous as they come and would threaten my family. Jack, just like me, would do anything to protect us. Even if it meant leaving us for a few months. It wasn't therefore a complete surprise when Jack left. That didn't make it any easier though.
Jack dithered. There was only one word for it, he dithered. Matty had accepted his terms fairly easily. She had offered to inform the team about his decision, but he refused. This was the sort of thing he had to tell them in person. He would have to use all the courage he had. This was no time for being a coward. He owed an explanation to Bozer, Riley and Mac. Oh, Mac. That was the hardest part of this. Riley would be angry at him but would be fine in the end. Bozer would understand though would be annoyed at the situation. Mac thought he would blame himself. His confidence would take a blow and he would be so sad. But he would be alive, and he would never be alone. The family would take care of that.
"Jack Wyatt Dolton Junior" he scolded himself harshly. "Stop wasting time and get your ass in there. Talk to your kids. Explain to them. Get it over with!" The lecture he gave himself sounded remarkably like his father. His father, who would put his kid before everything else. Would he make the same choice? Jack didn't know. He had made his choice and now he had to own up to it.
It's never easy delivering bad news to your family. I believe that it is better to rip the plaster off and get straight to the point. The thing is, that theory and practice are both very different. I can understand why Jack wanted to delay the conversation until the last minute. Those few minutes, a limbo between normality and danger are precious.
Jack knocked on the door. As he waited for an answer he tried to imagine how the conversation he would have with them. He had several suggestions in his head and the day before and that morning he had practised in front of the mirror. But when the door opened to reveal Mac, the practised speeches went out of his head and he found that he no longer had the ability to speak.
Mac led him to the backyard where everyone had been gathered. It wasn't an unusual thing for them all to be together. Especially since the affair with James, Riley and Bozer and smothered Mac in sibling love. It meant he could speak to each of them in turn. He had three kids and each of them deserved to be told in person, that Jack was going to leave them- albeit temporarily. Each of them had their own needs and Jack was going to do whatever he could to make sure that they were met.
"Jack!" Bozer jumped up. "Give me some back up here. We're arguing about who would win between-"
Bozer stopped. He was about to engage Jack in a conversation between two aliens, one from Star Wars, the other from Star Trek. Then he realised the worried look in Jack's eyes and the grave expression that overtook his face. Something was wrong.
"Jack?" Riley asked also noticing that something was wrong with her surrogate father.
"We should talk," Jack stated. He took a seat opposite them so that each of his children could look him in the eye and so he could look in theirs.
Despite the comment, it was a few minutes before anyone actually spoke. When it was, it was Mac who started the conversation.
"You're leaving, aren't you?" Mac asked.
It was more of a statement of fact than a question. He had suspected it as soon as he heard Kovac's name. Now, Jack was here looking unusually stoic, demanding that they talk. There was only one thing that could mean. His suspicions had been confirmed. He was to be expected, he had, after all, encouraged Jack to go. This was his fault, from beginning to end.
As soon as the question had been asked, Riley and Bozer realised that Mac was right. Jack was going. He was leaving to track down a dangerous terrorist and he may never return. If he did return, it could just as easily be in a box than anything else. They hoped not.
"Yes," Jack confirmed. "But I've made a deal with Matty. I am going to track down Kovac. I need to do something. That man is responsible for the death of my brothers."
"I understand," Mac stated.
Jack sighed. There was no denying the glum tone that Mac had said it in. He understood that Kovac needed to be hunted down but he didn't understand that Jack wasn't leaving because of him. He didn't understand that Jack wanted to stay with him. He didn't understand that if Jack would help it, he wouldn't be gone forever.
"I don't think you do, Mac, not yet anyhow." Jack shook his head. "I'm not going forever. I'll be gone for six months. If I haven't caught the bastard by then, I will come home."
"If I manage to survive that long" It wasn't said aloud but everyone heard it.
"I don't want to leave but Kovac, he's dangerous. He could hurt you, my family, and if leaving makes you safer than that is what I have to do." Jack explained.
He waited for the explosion. He didn't have to wait long.
"But what about us?" Riley snapped. "You're just going to leave us in the open. Again! And what about Mac? He needs you!"
"Riley…" Bozer tried to mediate the situation.
"It's all right, Boze, Riley has every right to be angry." Jack stopped him. "This won't be like that last time Ri. I'm going to keep in contact and then six months later, I will be back home."
He wasn't surprised when it sparked Riley's fury even further.
"If you survive that long!" Riley shouted before storming out of the room and slamming the spare room door.
Bozer went to go and follow her but a gentle hold on his arm stopped him. He looked to Jack who had halted his moments. Jack didn't say anything but gave a soft shake of his head. Bozer nodded. He understood what Jack was trying to say leave her for a bit.
"I'm sorry." Jack apologised.
Bozer gave him a soft but sad smile. Jack was right about the reactions of Bozer and Riley. He had fully expected Bozer to take it easier than either Mac or Riley. Bozer had grown up in a loving household. He had parents who had his every interest at heart, and he was confident in the knowledge that they would always be there for him. Mac and Riley hadn't grown up with that.
As many a psychologist will tell you, the formative years of a person's life, in other words, their childhood, are the most important years. Trauma and abuse that happens in his period can have a lifelong impact. Those that do not have a loving and secure environment to grow up face those detrimental effects forevermore. Riley and I were at a disadvantage due to our childhood, and nothing showed it more than when Jack told us he was going to leave.
"You don't need to apologise," Bozer replied. "When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow. Can I stay here tonight? I'll sleep on the sofa."
"You can take my bed." Bozer agreed at once. "You're going to need your sleep. Listen, don't worry about Riley. She'll be all right."
Jack wasn't so sure about that. Riley was strong, he knew that. He also knew that she wouldn't have to deal with the hurt alone. But it had taken a while for her to forgive him for leaving her the first time. He wasn't sure that she would be able to forgive him a second time. The very idea of his girl hating him was a stab to his heart.
"And you?" Jack questioned. True, he was more concerned about Mac and Riley than he was about Bozer but that didn't mean he didn't need and want to make sure that he was all right too. He needed to look after all of his kids and Bozer was one of them.
"I can't say I'm happy about it, but I know you have to do this," Bozer answered, honestly. He was a bit annoyed, more at the situation than anything else. That may change once Jack was gone but for now, he was alight. "You wouldn't leave if you didn't have to."
"No, I wouldn't," Jack confirmed, catching on at once. Bozer had said that statement with particular significance. It was more Mac's benefit. So, when Jack agreed with the statement he looked directly at Mac. The kid had been very quiet. Too quiet.
"I had better go a check on Riles." Bozer decided. He shot Jack a significant look. Talk with him. Using his concern over Riley as his excuse, he went back inside, leaving Jack and Mac to talk alone.
"Mac," Jack begged. "Say, something, please!"
"I'm sorry, sir. I mean Jack."
The honorific was ignored. It was just a blip made out of an emotional situation.
"Oh, no, Hoss. It's not your fault." Jack reassured. "I'm not leaving you forever and I'm not leaving you without someone to watch your back. I have asked an old friend of mine to take care of you. She is brilliant and I trust her to have your back. I wouldn't leave without ensuring your safety first. Everything's going to be all right."
Mac didn't know about that. He wasn't sure that it would be all right. He wasn't sure Jack knew that either. But he allowed himself to accept the comforting words. That was when the dam broke. Mac launched himself into Jack's arms and accepted himself into Jack's warm embrace. Maybe it would be all right. Maybe it wouldn't. Whatever happened though he needed one of Jack's hugs. It may be the last time he experienced it, so he never wanted to let go.
Goodbyes are never easy. I don't mean the little ones, the ones where you say bye as your friend drives home. I mean the big goodbyes. The ones where it may be a while until you say hello again. Those are the kind of goodbyes where you may never say hello again. In those situations, I prefer to say au revoir. Rather than meaning goodbye, it means 'until we meet again. I find it suits the situation much better.
Jack stood in front of the military plane, the tac team he had set up stood off to the side, allowing him this personal moment. His family stood in a line and he hugged them each in turn, saying his goodbyes. Finally, he came to Mac.
"Never forget how much I love you. I will do my darndest to come back to you and to keep in contact. It's just six months, that all. Goodbye, son."
Mac shook his head and Jack felt a stab in his heart once he saw it. Would Mac say he wasn't his son? Would he say that he didn't care? That he hated him? Jack waited for the rejection. It never came.
"I won't say goodbye because that is too permeant. I shall say au revoir instead. Au revoir Jack." Mac explained a tear falling down his cheek. He wiped it away and discreetly as he could but knew that Jack had already seen it.
"Doesn't au revoir and goodbye mean the same thing?" Jack asked.
"No. Goodbyes are more permeant. It means I'm going now, and I may never return. While goodbyes are forever, Au revoir means until we meet again."
Jack smiled. Of course, his kid would know a way to lessen the blow. Au revoir. Yes, that worked better because Jack was going to return.
"Au revoir then, my boy. Au revoir."
After one last long, crushing hug, Jack walked away. He made his feet move, which now seemed as heavy as concrete blocks, towards the military aircraft. Towards his duty. Towards his mission to apprehend Kovac, but away from his family. He hoped this was the right decision. He hoped he would live to see them all again.
I didn't blame Jack for leaving. I hope that you don't blame him either. Sometimes, you find yourself in a situation that makes you leaves with an impossible dilemma. It wasn't like I was going to be alone. I had a family, and it was only going to grow as Jack left I didn't want him to go but the circumstances prevented that. I understood that. I didn't like it, but I at least understood it. Sometimes that's all you can do.
Mac and the Phoenix family drove back to the house in silence. They got out of the car and began to walk inside. They would spend even more time together now that Jack was temporarily away. They refused to say Jack was gone. They agreed that temporarily away was a better way to put it. It was more accurate. They would be together again.
"Are you all right?" Bozer asked. It was a question not just aimed at him but everyone.
Everyone answered in the affirmative. What else was there to say? They would be all right, as long as they were together. They would get through it as family.
Mac stopped as he saw some movement. Across the street, there was a house. There was a sold sign just outside of it. He had noticed it a few weeks ago but now it was being taken down. It was clear why. A large, blue van was parked outside it with the words Clutter scrawled across it. A moving man.
"Mac?" Riley asked seeing that he had suddenly stopped.
Mac pointed over the road.
"Looks like someone's finally moved into the Porters' old place." He commented.
They looked over in the direction that Mac was pointing in. He was right. There was a man with brown hair carrying boxes. There was a little girl there too. She was too far away for Mac to make out much of her features, but she had blonde hair that was almost fluorescent. When it caught the light of the Californian sun it sparkled.
"So, there is!" Bozer smiled. "New neighbours! That shall be interesting!"
He would have to bake some of his cookies to welcome them to his neighbourhood. He knew a recipe that made some delicious, vegan and gluten-free ones. This was Los Angeles after all. It would be fun to have some children in the neighbourhood. Kids had a way of making everything a lot funnier.
At that moment, the girl turned at caught Mac and the rest of them looking at her. Mac waved but the girl stumbled backwards. She glanced towards the man before running back towards the house. The man said something, and the girl stopped. A few seconds later the man nodded, and the girl went back into the house. The man turned around and glanced at Mac for a second. Then he went back to what he was doing.
Mac nodded. "Yes, that's one word for it. Interesting."