Hey babes! Back again with a new chapter for ya! It's the Fourth of July and I'm feeling generous again, so here you go. This chapter covers the events of 4x04, and obviously, the timeline isn't very clear within the show itself, so I'm taking some creative liberties with that.
Enjoy!
Spending time with Riley is always going to be one of his favorite things in the world. Any amount of time he can spend with her, he'll do it in a heartbeat. Even before they started dating. Now that they've been a couple for roughly a month, he still finds any opportunity that he can to spend time with her, especially outside of work, not that that's an easy thing to do with their crazy schedules. But they've managed to make it work so far; he's always looking for any opportunity to spend time with her.
Which is why he decided to invite her on a Boy Scout retreat with him, to help him teach the young boys a science lesson for their merit badge. Even though the boys don't look to be even remotely interested in what he has to say about egg dropping and impact force. They're just staring, and not all of them are looking at him.
"Now," he says, stepping down off the ladder and picking up the egg drop contraption he and Riley had built earlier, "if you guys wanna earn your Nova science badge, you have one week to build a container that allows an egg to be dropped from that exact same height without breaking. Got any questions?" He smiles when one boy raises his hand, pointing at him. "Yes."
"Why do I have to learn this science stuff? I wanna do archery."
"Because it helps you solve problems. Riley and I use all this science stuff at our jobs all the time."
"Your jobs sound super boring."
He smiles despite the boy's comment. "Actually, we do all sorts of super cool things over at the think tank. Sometimes we even get to—" His phone going off in his pocket cuts him off, and he pulls it out to see a new message on the screen. He sighs, glancing behind him at Riley. "It's Matty." She nods in understanding and he turns back to the boys. "Alright, kids, we're done here." He lets out a breath and turns to Riley as the boys are jumping up and darting off.
Riley approaches him with a small smile, resting a hand on his shoulder and rubbing gently. "You good?"
"Yeah. I just...I don't know why they weren't more excited about the egg drop experiment. This stuff is cool."
Riley smiles, laughing quietly. "Babe, you're probably one of the rare few who thinks that. I'm sorry the boys weren't paying attention."
"Oh, they were paying attention. Just not to me." He takes a deep breath and slides his arm around her waist. "Can't say I blame them, though. You're insanely gorgeous and they probably weren't expecting to see someone who looks like you today. Especially wearing what you are." He smiles when a slight blush creeps up Riley's cheeks, tugging her a little closer and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Should we go?"
Riley pulls back and raises a brow. "Hang on. You're just gonna flirt with me like that and then say that we should go?"
Mac shrugs. "Yeah."
She laughs as she steps back. "Oh, you are certainly something else, Angus." She steps completely out of his hold and starts backing away toward the parking lot. "And here I was planning on keeping this outfit for later use."
Mac's eyes go wide. "I mean...you definitely still can."
She tilts her head, her face scrunching in thought. "After you flirt so carelessly with no follow-through?"
Mac raises a brow. "Oh, you want some follow-through?" He lets out a breath and takes long strides across the ground to meet her, his hands instantly finding her hips to pull her close. He releases one hand to cup the back of her neck, tilting her head back. He crashes his lips to hers, kissing her deeply as his other hand slides from her hip to rest low on her back. "How's that for follow-through?" he asks after he pulls away.
Riley opens and closes her mouth a few times, nodding slowly. "Yeah, that...that was…uh…"
Mac smiles. "Did I just leave Riley Davis speechless?" He takes a small step back, releasing his hold on her to grab one of her hands and lace their fingers together. "Come on, we better get going before Matty chews our heads off for being late." He gently tugs on her hand to pull her with him toward the parking lot.
She falls into step beside him but doesn't say more about what just happened. An easy silence settles over them as they walk, their entwined hands swinging gently between their bodies.
It's a relatively quiet drive to the Phoenix, save for the faint music coming through the speakers from the radio. Their hands link together again, resting comfortably on the center console throughout the drive, and Mac can't keep the smile off his face.
.
.
.
Mac really should have known the teasing would come when he stepped into the war room still wearing the scouts uniform from the retreat. But like he explains to Matty, he didn't have time to change first seeing as this op is apparently very time-sensitive. They should all just be glad he didn't wear shorts instead of long pants.
"Alright, if we're done making fun of Blondie, listen up."
Mac listens attentively as Matty explains the current op to them, an explosion of some kind in a building in Germany. But based on what he's seeing on the screen, he doesn't know off the top of his head what could have caused this type and level of explosion. But he's determined to find out. Especially since whatever did this trapped a bunch of people inside the building.
Once Matty dismisses them, he, Riley, and Desi are walking out of the war room and making their way to the jet. Of course, he and Riley stop to change first, and then they're on the plane and on their way to Germany. And his mind had already started running through possible reasons for what caused the explosion from the moment he saw the footage. Though, he knows he'll have to wait until they get there to actually find out for sure.
When they do get to Germany, and he gets inside the building and finds the blast site, he does not like what he sees; a bomb that was dropped during World War II and never went off, but could still go off at any moment if the building shakes the wrong way. He knows he won't be able to move it on his own without risking it blowing up, so he's grateful when Riley comes to help him figure something out.
It takes a little bit of time, but eventually they manage to get something rigged together so they can lift the bomb out of the dirt and defuse it. But, of course, nothing can ever go perfectly their way, and they can't defuse the bomb because it's corroded so badly over time. So they have to move it up to the sixth floor while doing their best to minimize the risk of it going off.
But thanks to an idea from Bozer, they're able to put together a tristar stair climber with the things they find lying around. Then they get the bomb loaded onto it, and start moving. It's slow going, moving up the stairs with a heavy bomb between them, but they manage to do it. Until they don't.
It's almost like the world is moving in slow motion. One second they're completely fine, chatting idly about possible date ideas as they move slowly up the steps with the bomb, and the next second the building is shaking and his grip on the transport is slowly failing. It's exactly what they hoped wouldn't happen, and he's trying his hardest to maintain his hold.
"Mac," Riley's voice gasps out.
His eyes go wide and he instantly reaches out a hand across the length of the bomb when he sees her reaching toward him. "Riley!" He stretches as hard as he can, just trying to touch her fingers. But he can't reach far enough to even graze them.
He can feel his panic rising to the surface as the building continues to shift. Then Riley falls. Then his grip on the bomb slips and it starts rolling back down the stairs, right toward Riley.
He steps back for a moment to try and catch his breath, grateful when he sees Riley pulling herself out of the path of the bomb. But the bomb isn't stopping. It keeps falling.
Moving toward the railing, Mac glances over the side, pushing his fear of heights as far down as it'll go when he sees Riley rolling further down the steps. He needs to get to her. Nothing else matters at that moment other than getting to Riley and pulling her out of harm's way.
Launching himself over the railing, he lands on the lower set of stairs, quickly eyeing the bomb as it breaks free of its wheeled transportation and continues its descent. So he moves as fast as he can.
He steps in front of Riley right as she stands up, grabs hold of the lapels of her leather jacket, and then tugs hard as he turns. His back roughly hits the brick wall next to them in the same instant that the bomb stops, landing right where Riley had just been standing.
They're both breathing heavily as the building finally stops shaking, and Mac leans his head back against the wall for just a moment. He releases Riley's jacket and slides his hands down to her hips, squeezing gently, mostly to reassure himself that she's there.
Riley's head lands on his shoulder as her hands hold firmly to his waist, stepping closer to him when he tugs and then slides his arms around her waist. She's still breathing heavily, repeating the same muttered phrase over and over as she buries her face in his neck.
Mac leans his head against hers and lets his eyes flutter closed, wanting nothing more than to just keep holding her and forget about everything else. But they still have a job to do.
"Well, that was insane," he finally speaks up, reluctantly lifting his head. "You okay?" he asks, tilting his head a little to look at her.
"Yeah," she breathes out, keeping her forehead against his shoulder but shifting to look up at him. "And we're not dead, so that's a win."
He huffs out a laugh.
"Guys, I'm hearing from search and rescue that the building just shifted," Matty's voice rings through their comms.
"Understatement of the century," Desi responds.
Riley lifts her head a little as she glances around. "Yeah, well, the bomb just rolled back half the distance we covered, but it didn't explode. So that's nice."
"It definitely is," Mac responds.
Things are quiet as they stand there for another moment, wrapped in each other's arms as they let the adrenaline of the situation settle down. He knows they need to get moving, but he just wants one more minute like this.
"You hear that?" Riley asks a few seconds later, right as a quiet sizzling from next to them makes itself known. "Why is the bomb hissing at us?"
Mac reluctantly steps away from Riley and leans closer to the bomb, cupping a hand around his ear. He lets out a heavy breath and closes his eyes. "The acetone capsule broke. The bomb's going to go off."
He shares a look with Riley and then they jump into action to get the bomb up the stairs again. They don't have to move quite as slowly this time, given that the acetone capsule is broken, but they're still careful. This is a bomb they're moving, after all.
Eventually, though, they get to their destination. They reach the sixth-floor landing, making it to the hole in the wall that was chosen as the right size to crane lift the bomb out. But, as is par for the course with their operations, they run into another obstacle; the crane is damaged and can't make it to the opening. So they have to find a new solution.
He starts racking his brain, trying to think of a new way to get the bomb where it needs to go. But it's tough, and he's having a hard time thinking of a viable solution to safely get the bomb out of the building.
"All we have to do is get the bomb down to the ground," Riley speaks up, pulling him out of his head. "Then that truck can drive it to the river."
"Well, yeah, sure, but we don't know how to do that first part," he remarks, gesturing to the bomb lying near them.
"We might. Remember when that kid at the scout's retreat asked why he had to learn all the boring science stuff?"
"Yeah."
Riley stays silent, her eyes drifting over to the bomb. Then she gives him a look and gestures toward the opening with her head.
It takes a split second for the pieces to click together in his head, his eyes going wide in realization as he turns fully to face the bomb. "Oh."
"All we have to do is decrease the impact force, right?"
Mac smiles, glancing at her. "It's all about the impact force."
It takes him a moment to get the rest of the team on board with the plan, though he's not entirely sure they're completely on board with it. But they're letting him do it anyway since they don't have many options available to them. Not that any of them would be able to do much to stop him; Desi's in a different part of the building, and Matty, Russ, and Bozer are back in the States.
So he and Riley get to work on putting together exactly what they'll need to send the bomb out the window. They work seamlessly just like every other time before, moving around each other like they're doing a perfectly choreographed dance. Russ and Bozer chime in occasionally over comms, giving their two cents about the various simulations they've run and the results they've received. They even give their own suggestions on how to increase their odds of success by improving the design of the structure. But time is dwindling.
In the end, Mac opts to just stick with the design they have, the way that it is, and hope for the best. It's not worth the time they'll lose if they try to improve the design. So he and Riley move together, carefully pushing the bomb up the makeshift ramp toward the hole in the wall.
Then they shove it out and wait with bated breath as it tumbles toward the concrete sixty feet below.
"It worked," Mac says after a moment when there's no explosion, letting out a breath of relief, "the bomb didn't explode." He grins over at Riley. "We're still alive."
Riley lets out a quick, relieved laugh as she steps toward him, opening her arms and wrapping them around him.
Mac hugs her tightly, his arms encircling her entire back as he rocks her from side to side. One of the best feelings in the world is having Riley in his arms, and any chance he can get to do just that, he'll take it. He drops a kiss to the top of her head and then pulls back a little to look at her. "Just so you know, you definitely earned your science patch today."
She just laughs, stepping forward to hug him again, one hand cupping the back of his head.
Mac lets out another breath as he reciprocates the hug, his eyes closing as he relaxes in her arms. They averted another major disaster, and now that it's over, and the dust is settling, the reality of what could have happened is starting to hit him. And he's not a fan.
.
.
.
Things are quiet on the jet on the way back to LA. Mac's still processing everything that ran through his head in those few moments on the stairs. In reality, it had all happened in such quick succession. But in his mind's eye, it seemed like everything had slowed down. Though maybe that was just his brain's way of processing.
There's some quiet shuffling and he turns to see Riley sitting down in the seat next to him. He offers her a small smile when she reaches out to grab his hand. He instantly laces their fingers together, squeezing gently.
"Hey, you okay?" she asks him softly.
He nods. "Yeah, I'm good. Just glad that we managed to get that bomb out of there without any more issues."
Riley lets out a breath. "Yeah, me too. I don't even want to think about what could have happened otherwise."
Mac sucks in a sharp, quiet breath at the image that pops into his head, one that stems from him not being fast enough on the stairs. He quickly shakes it off, shifting in his seat a little. "Do you wanna come over tonight?" he asks. "We can order takeout, maybe watch a movie or something."
Riley smiles. "Yeah, I'd like that."
Mac lets out a heavy breath, running a hand through his hair. "Good. That's good."
Riley's smile falters. "Hey, what's going on?"
Mac shakes his head. "Nothing. I'm fine."
Riley smiles softly. "Okay." She leans across the seats to gently kiss his cheek, and then she's settling down in her chair, pulling her tablet into her lap to pass the time.
Mac lets his mind wander throughout the rest of the flight back to LA. He's grateful when Riley doesn't let go of his hand, even though he knows she'd prefer to be using both hands for whatever she's working on. Having Riley's hand in his helps to keep his mind off what almost could have happened on the op. He doesn't want to even think about that.
When they land back in LA, Matty forgoes debriefing them since it's so late and tells them all to go home. He's extremely grateful for that, knowing he wouldn't be able to focus on it.
He and Riley drive together back to his place since that's how they arrived, and it's a fairly silent drive. Riley's driving, thankfully, so he's able to just sit there and zone out a little and not worry about accidentally crashing the car.
As soon as they're inside, Mac makes a beeline for the living room and falls onto the couch. He lets out a breath and closes his eyes, tilting his head back as his body relaxes into the familiar fabric. He feels the cushion dip beside him and blindly reaches out for Riley. Once he has her hand in his, he relaxes even further, taking slow, deep breaths.
Seconds later, Riley's other hand is running through his hair, her nails lightly scratching his scalp, a gesture that he didn't think would be so calming. But it is. Or maybe that's just because it's Riley.
"You've been pretty quiet since we left Germany," Riley says after a moment. "Wanna talk about whatever it is that's going on inside your head?"
Mac lets out a breath, opening his eyes and turning his head just enough to look at Riley where she sits leaning sideways against the back of the couch. He tightens his hold on her hand just a little, to reassure himself that she's there, and then looks down as he absentmindedly starts to play with her fingers. "I was scared when the bomb was falling back down the stairs," he admits. "If I hadn't gotten to you when I did, then there's a chance that I could have lost you. And the thought of losing you so soon after finally getting to be with you...I don't know if I would have recovered from that."
She gently squeezes his hand. "Hey, I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere, okay?" A small smile tugs at the corners of her lips. "You're stuck with me, Angus."
Mac lets a smile slowly grow. "No one else I'd rather be stuck with." He waits a beat and then tugs on her hand to pull her into his lap, winding his arms around her waist and burying his face in the crook of her neck. He breathes deeply, the familiar scent of coconut filling his nose and helping his insides settle.
Pulling away just enough to look at her, he closes the space between them again, this time connecting their lips in a slow, deep kiss. It quickly turns into hungry desire when Riley kisses him back, gently nipping at his bottom lip, which pulls a low groan from the back of his throat.
Mac reciprocates the intensity, his hands sliding down her back to land on her rear, pulling her even closer to him. His hands begin moving again after a moment, slipping underneath the fabric of her shirt and sliding slowly up her back. His fingertips barely graze the strap of her bra when she pulls back. His brows furrow slightly. "What is it? Is everything okay?"
She smiles, one hand moving to cup his cheek. "Everything's perfect. But I was kinda hoping that what I think is about to happen would happen in your bed, not on your couch."
Mac lets out a breath, a smile tugging at his lips. "Say no more."
In one fluid motion, Mac stands from the couch and wraps his arms around Riley's waist to hold her up, smiling brighter when her legs wind tightly around his waist. He nearly collapses back on the couch when Riley pushes her hips further against his as she presses a few slow kisses to his neck, but he manages to focus long enough to get them to the bedroom.
As soon as he steps into the room he pushes the door closed with his foot and then carries Riley over to the bed. He gently sets her down on the mattress and then tugs his shirt off over his head, tossing it aside. A shudder runs through him when Riley drags her fingernails down his abdomen, a slight smirk on her lips. Then she's pulling off her own shirt and letting it fall to the floor, her eyes never leaving his.
Stepping closer, he leans down to capture her lips again, continuing to lean forward until Riley's back is flat against the mattress. One of her hands wraps around the back of his neck to pull him closer and he can't help but smile against her lips. He quickly gets lost in her, all of his senses completely filled with Riley. And it's the best experience of his life.
.
.
.
"Well...so much for ordering takeout."
Mac smiles, chuckling lightly as he moves a hand lazily up and down Riley's back. "Yeah. You don't regret what just happened though, right?"
Riley tilts her head to look at him with a soft smile. "Not even a little bit."
"Good. Because neither do I." He lifts his head enough to kiss her quickly and then relaxes back against his pillow. "I'm really glad that it happened."
"Me too." A quiet yawn escapes her lips and then she laughs. "I think you wore me out, Mac."
He smiles proudly at the fact. "Well, if you're too tired to drive home, you can always stay over. I'll even make you breakfast in the morning."
"Hmm, our first sleepover since becoming a couple? Sounds like a pretty big step, there's no going back from that."
He smiles at her teasing tone, gently squeezing her hip. "Riles, are you serious? We probably just took the biggest step we could for our relationship right now. You staying the night isn't that big of a deal in comparison."
Riley lifts up on one elbow and raises a brow at him. "Not that big of a deal, huh? So you're okay if I leave?" she questions, gesturing over her shoulder and making like she's going to climb off the bed.
Mac reaches out with both hands to grab Riley's hips and pull her back to him, a smile on his face. "No, don't leave." He presses his lips to her bare shoulder, smiling wider when Riley settles against him. "You know I didn't mean it the way it sounded," he murmurs against her skin.
She laughs quietly, her fingers running through his hair again. "I know. You were pretty cute a second ago when you were whining, though."
Mac lifts his head and furrows his brows slightly. "What? I wasn't whining."
She laughs a little louder. "You definitely were." She rests her arms on his chest, setting her chin on top and smiling at him. "It was adorable, honestly." She tilts her head a little, her smile softening. "You really want me to stay over?"
He smiles. "I really do."
Riley shifts on the bed, pulling herself up with her arms and giving him a soft kiss. "Okay. I'll stay over. But I need to use the bathroom first before we go to sleep, so I'll be right back." She stands from the bed and pulls on his t-shirt that had been tossed aside earlier as she makes her way into the bathroom.
Seeing Riley wearing his t-shirt like that stirs something in him. It's not possessiveness, not really. Pride, maybe? Definitely happiness. Because having Riley in his life in this capacity is the best thing ever. Hands down. Without a doubt.
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Until next time,
Jellybean96 out!