He let Penny Parker live. He could have killed her then and there. He could have. He let her go. He let her live when she told him he was insane. When she made it clear that he was nothing but a murdering fiend. He could have done it. But he let her live, and that's what Phoenyx had to keep repeating to herself as she sat, smiling idly across the table into the eyes of a madman. Risk all to save her sister. Risk all to prove her love. But Murdoc wouldn't kill her. She had to believe that. Even if he did see through the lies, he would spare her because he loved her. But Mac would never be safe. Murdoc had never stopped hunting him, not for one day in almost ten years. If this fueled his fire, there would be no escape, and it was becoming painfully clear to Phoenyx as she smiled away, that she would be the only line of defense that MacGyver would soon have. He knew it too.

"So… I suppose what I'm saying is that… maybe you and I should spend some more time together, make sure we stay on an even keel. It's just what you've been saying all along, really, that we have to make sure we keep in constant communication, both working for the same goal, the well-being of my sister. Don't you agree?"

She was feeling ill now. It was so difficult, so nerve-wracking to keep control of every little synapse. She had to control everything, right down to her eyes, locked on Murdoc's.

All the while, she couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for the man before her. He was heartless and a murderer, but he was still human, somewhere… She would be destroying him. And after she had worked so hard to keep her sister from the brink, she was driving him there all the while. She had seen the light of hope ignite in his eyes, wondered if it was hope for something better than a life of crime? Would she be able to crush it, and watch it falter and die? Or would she feel like she was killing something, too? This wasn't one of the questions she could run home and ask MacGyver, either. It was something she could only find out by actually doing it. Actually killing any goodness he had in him would be the only way she would find out if she felt like a murderer. Could she do it? She had no idea, but she knew, as MacGyver did, that she would have to strike the final blow to Murdoc's soul.

"So, what do you say? Tuesday, around six then? Sounds wonderful. And I'm sure I will see you tomorrow morning. Good night."

As he stood, slipped an arm around her shoulders, and led her to her car, she breathed a sigh of relief. So far, so good. She watched him hail a cab, then drove off, not back to the Challenger's Center, but as fast as she could to the docks, and MacGyver's houseboat.

StarStarStar

The knock on the door startled him. He hadn't been expecting company. He swung his feet (still in half- untied white sneakers) off the couch, and rose to answer whoever it was who was practically breaking down the door. He had barely turned the knob when the door swung open, dangerously close to his face, and a hysterical mass of red hair and black dress threw itself on him.

"Phoenyx?" He asked, eyebrow raised, attempting to comfort his obviously distressed friend.

"Guess again, MacGyver…" The redhead looked up. Instead of Phoenyx's pretty green eyes, a pair of round, brown ones gleamed up at him.

"…Murdoc?" MacGyver backed away suddenly, almost causing the unexpected guest to fall on his face in the doorway. Murdoc gave him a contemptuous glance, then whipped out his camera.

"Give us a smile, MacGyver. I want to remember this moment for the rest of my life."

"What are you here for, Murdoc? What did I do to you?" Inside, Mac knew it was a silly question. Murdoc needed no provocation, but if he could find out his motives, he might be able to talk his way out of things this time.

"Oh, I had a little visit from a friend of yours today, MacGyver. She tells me you are no longer… associated. I just want to ensure that you won't be in the future." He grinned, that eerie, joker-like grin spreading across his face.

"Murdoc, you don't have to do this. If you want me to stay away from her, I will. But I think we can be reasonable about things for once."

"Oh, you know me, MacGyver. I'm never reasonable. That's why I do so well in the business I'm in. The less reasonable you are, the farther you get. So, what do you say, MacGyver, are you going to fight like a man, or are you just going to stand there and let me shoot you? Come on, MacGyver, there's no fun in that! Pull one of your famous "MacGyverisms." Have some fun!"

Murdoc scrutinized MacGyver for a few minutes, grinning.

"You're not going to give me the satisfaction, are you? What's the matter? Can't think of anything clever to do with a paperclip, your shoelace, and a gum wrapper today? What about that swiss army knife of yours? Aren't you even going to try to defend yourself? Well, as long as you aren't going to put up a fight…" He thrust a pistol into Mac's grip. "We'll duel. Just like the old days. If I can't be reasonable, at least I can be honorable, right, MacGyver?" He laughed, a harsh bark to match the eerie grin, and turned, striding across the room.

It struck Mac as somehow ludicrous that Murdoc would be taunting him to stand up and fight like a man, much less urging him to duel like a gentleman, all the while standing in his living room in a dress… He stood, waiting for Murdoc to make his first move.

As he leveled the pistol, setting Mac in his sights, the door swung open once more. This time, the real Phoenyx was standing in the doorway. Both men turned to look incredulously as she strode into the room, snatched the gun from Murdoc's stunned grip, held a hand out for Mac's, then walked outside and chucked them both into the bay.

"I knew you'd come here, Murdoc." She said silkily. "I followed the cab. I may not care about MacGyver as deeply as you think I did, but he was still my friend, and I don't appreciate this." She was choosing her words carefully. She had rehearsed the whole way over, as soon as she saw Murdoc's cab driving out of sight toward the docks.

"You know, I thought you cared about me more than this. If you really felt anything, you would respect me, and leave the people around us alone, no matter how jealous and paranoid you may be. You want me to prove to you how I feel? You really need proof before you can trust me? I had hoped we would pass this point tonight, but I guess I was mistaken. You know it hurts, it really does. Fine. If you are so uncertain as to where my loyalties really lie…" She strode across the room, as determined as she could make herself, wrapped her arms tightly about Murdoc's neck, and kissed him. Mac looked almost horrified. She glanced up, beyond Murdoc's right shoulder, and gave Mac a look. He nodded, almost imperceptibly, and tried to compose himself.

After what seemed an eternity to both men, Phoenyx released her prey, letting him waver on jelly-legs for a moment, before mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like "Sorrymymistakewon'tletithappenagain." And scurried from the houseboat.

"I suppose I'll have to explain a few things to him tomorrow…" Phoenyx sighed.

"Like why you just showed up here?" MacGyver asked.

"Yeah." She looked at her feet. "I'm sorry for that."

"What? Hey, don't worry about it. I'll be fine. Just keep yourself safe. I'll be here when you get back."

He ushered her to the door, and watched her drive away.