Chapter Thirteen: One-Named
"It looks like you were right," Dr Kendrick announced, emerging from his lab holding one of the pills MacGyver had given him to analyze.
MacGyver turned from the jarred specimen he had been scrutinizing with idle curiosity. "How bad?"
"It wouldn't hurt someone in normal health," Dr Kendrick explained; "just made them a bit drowsy. But depending on how bad your concussion was to begin with, you could have gone to sleep and never woken up."
MacGyver grimaced.
"Come on back to the office now; I want a look at that head."
"What? No; I'm fine now, Doc."
"Go on, Mac," Purdey insisted.
"Oh, all right," MacGyver gave in, shaking his head as he followed Dr Kendrick.
"Men," Purdey muttered, "never want to admit they have to go to the doctor."
Gambit snorted. "That's a very selective memory you've got there, Purdey-girl. Who was it who was insisting she had 'just a scratch' until she collapsed?"
Purdey flushed. "That's entirely different," she insisted.
Gambit rolled his eyes, but didn't attempt to argue further.
oOo
"Well?" Purdey questioned, jumping to her feet as MacGyver emerged from the inner office a little while later.
"Doc says I'm fine," MacGyver answered.
Purdey looked to Dr Kendrick for confirmation.
"Looks to me like he had a moderately severe concussion, but it's mostly resolved now. But you still need to take it easy for a few days, young man," he added sternly, "and if you start having headaches or vision problems, see a doctor."
MacGyver gave him a teasing salute.
"But, Purdey, you and Gambit had no business letting him jump out of windows with a concussion."
Purdey crossed to kiss the gruff doctor's cheek. "We didn't jump…and he couldn't stay there; they were after him, too." She gave him her best smile, and Kendrick softened. "You're a good girl, Purdey…and I guess you didn't have much choice." He glanced toward Gambit. "Watch out for this one, Mike."
"Oh, I intend to; it took me long enough to catch her."
MacGyver looked from one to the other of them, the first glimmer of the truth in his mind. "Wait a minute…you two are married…to each other?"
"Yeah, hero, she's mine," Gambit told him, wrapping an arm around Purdey's waist for an instant before she spun free.
"You could have told me," MacGyver protested to Purdey.
Purdey grinned. "It was too much fun seeing you try to keep us honest."
"Is that what he was doing?" Gambit murmured.
MacGyver shook his head. "An' now I feel like a fool for not seein' it before."
"You did have a headache," Purdey offered.
MacGyver gave her a sideways smile. "Thanks. And…the names threw me; why didn't you introduce him as your husband to begin with?"
"We don't acknowledge it in the field because we don't want the enemy to be able to use us against each other," Gambit explained.
"Besides," Purdey added, "I agreed to marry him only on condition that I didn't have to be a Mrs."
MacGyver smiled ruefully. "Well, I'm certainly the last person who should deny someone their right to go by one name if they want."
Purdey's nose wrinkled sympathetically. "That bad, huh?"
MacGyver grimaced. "Yeah. Yours?"
Purdey nodded. "Worse."
"Can't be worse," MacGyver protested.
"I'll tell if you will," Purdey offered.
MacGyver grimaced again, but beckoned her in so he could whisper without anyone else hearing.
A moment later they stepped back, identical expressions of distaste on their faces showing they agreed they had equal reason for going by one name only.
THE END
A/N: In my alternate history, Purdey's name was originally Josephine Purdue; her father called her Purdey, and after he died she had it legally changed. No offence to anyone named Josephine; it just doesn't happen to be my favorite name — and I wanted a "Jo" name for Joanna Lumley. If I ever write my story idea where Gambit meets Purdey's mother, I might have her still call Purdey Josie… (For those unfamiliar with MacGyver, his first name is Angus — a name I like fine in general, but Mac doesn't like it, and I definitely agree it doesn't fit him at all!) Barbie
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 or Avengers alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie
