For some reasons I decided that Jack would be there because it gives a lot of substance to the whole thing somewhere and I didn't want to integrate Desi, sorry for the fans of this character.

Enjoy

The War Room was a highly symbolic place within the Phoenix Foundation and the atmosphere was quite normal. Bozer & Leanna had left on a simple reconnaissance mission to Paraguay and were on their way back. The rest of the team was standing in front of the screen - all three had been invited by Matty to join them in the war room.

"Today will be a very ordinary day, if I may say so, you'll have nothing to do but sit here and listen to me".

Jack enjoyed these kinds of missions, it would be a really quiet afternoon. The three of them were sitting in the different chairs that adorned the war room. The team would have to check documents, mission reports.

The reports were going to have to be corrected before they had to be given to the supervisor at the end of the week because some of them were incomplete or partial.

Matty and Jack were discussing Jack's many aliases, some of which had just popped up on the screen.

Mac was glancing at his cell phone screen, the next lunch with his father had just been rescheduled for a later date. He had informed him

He was upset because he had taken a liking to these appointments that his father had proposed to him. These lunches did him a lot of good.

The two men had managed to partially recreate the bond that united them and unintentionally James had just taken a few steps backwards.

The blond boy knew it wasn't his fault and that health was more important than anything else.

For Mac, it looked like things weren't going to work out the way he wanted. Jack's laughter was echoing throughout the room and Riley couldn't take it anymore, she was already holding his head in her hands.

The laughter seemed to come from one of the horror movies that she would have a hard time watching if she was home alone.

"Jack, your laugh's getting annoying, would you turn it down, I'm tired of hearing you laugh like that."

"Riley, you have to laugh once in a while or your life is going to get monotonous in such a short time, honey. Look, isn't it funny? "

He showed her the different alias she already knew and the clothes attached to them. Some of the clothes seemed to have come straight out of Jack's own closet.

He got up from his seat and stood in front of the screen, he wanted to lead Riley in his dance but she refused directly. The young woman seemed to be dizzy.

Mac took a look at the young woman. She was out of shape and he had to stop all this for Riley's sake.

"Jack, sooner we finish, sooner you can go home and that goes for everyone," said Matty.

Riley thanked Matty, she must have read her heart.

"I know, I just wanted to show this lady what life is all about! »

"Don't worry about it, I know what life is and I thank her every day that God does."

Riley took a look in the direction of Mac. That was all she had ever wanted. The blond boy had also turned towards the hacker. He had felt two brown eyes landing on him. Mac had found the way Riley had responded to him, and in a very subtle way. It was just a game between the two of them.

Riley seemed to turn her head away from the screen, a headache had appeared as soon as she woke up and she had tried various treatments and none had worked so far. Her backpack was right beside her. She had leaned over to grab what she was looking for but was nauseous. The young woman took a deep breath, she didn't want her friends to witness her weakening impulse.

She decided to try her last card by taking something stronger than the other medications. She opened the water bottle to take a sip. Mac had understood this very well.

He had noticed that she wasn't well and couldn't do much to help her. All he could do was shut Jack up. Jack's antics didn't help Riley's headache.

Mac had to kindly ask his best friend to stop acting like a kid and continue quietly, but it was almost like an impossible mission.

"Jack, please, we could move on, everyone would like to go home, we're all tired.

Riley nodded, Mac read her like an open book.

"All right, as you wish, audience, this is the first and last time I'm playing in front of you."

A good dozen minutes after Jack was ordered to stop his antics, Riley decided to put his computer on the side of the coffee table. She needed to get out and get some fresh air, another one of those nausea was coming and she needed to get out as soon as possible before it happened in front of everyone.

"I'm sorry, can we take a break? At least 5 minutes if you don't mind? »

Matty looked at her, she looked pretty white.

"Don't worry, it's okay Riley," the Phoenix director asked her protégée.

"Yeah, don't worry, it's just that being cooped up in here all day is pretty hard compared to what I'm used to doing and I just need some fresh air.

"I totally understand, would you rather go home? We can start again tomorrow if you want".

"No Matty, I'll be fine, just give me five minutes and nothing more."

The director of Phoenix nodded her head and interrupted the work they were doing. Riley ran as fast as she could and didn't even realize she was being followed by Mac who was running right behind her.

The young hacker had barely left the building when she had to get out of the way so that no one could see her return her breakfast. Only Mac had seen her. He had stayed behind her without saying anything. The blond boy approached the young woman to give her a handkerchief.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have followed you, but I was worried about you.

"I'm fine, thank you."

She stood up to wipe her mouth, but her words didn't seem convincing to Mac.

"What's going on? You look like you've seen a dead body? "

"Are you sure everything's all right, Riles? "

"Don't worry."

"You should see yourself in a mirror, you're so white."

She decided to take her cell phone to look at herself and realize he was absolutely right.

It must have been the phone that made her look bad, the sun was dazzling her and she wanted to hide her eyes.

"Are you sure you only need 5 minutes and no more? "

"I think it should be okay," says Riley.

"I'll walk you home, it seems prudent to postpone this until at least tomorrow morning."

She realized that her brain was no longer listening to her and that she was unable to work.

"We're going to let Matty know that I'm going to take you home. You'll probably be a lot better off at home than here for once and all this can wait.

"No, I promise you it's going to be okay Mac, I have to finish, the supervisor is counting on us, we don't have a lot of files left."

"But you can't, and Matty will understand for once. You know I can easily change her mind and don't tell me otherwise! »

She rubbed her eyes, fatigue could be seen on her face. She didn't seem to get enough sleep.

"Okay, but I don't want to disturb you. You certainly have a lot to do?"

"Don't worry about it. I want to go home, too, and that gives me an excuse."

He had smiled at him and the two of them returned to the war room, Matty was typing on his tablet while Jack was talking to someone on the phone.

Both had just returned. Mac had gone to the principal.

"Matty, can I talk to you? "he asked.

"Go ahead, blondie."

He came out of the war room accompanied by the woman he had always considered a friend. He closed the door. Riley understood that he was going to make arrangements for them to leave Phoenix sooner than expected.

About ten minutes later, he opened the door again and sat down on the coffee table in the war room.

Riley had a paper clip in his hands and was trying to shape it but his brain was screaming for him to stop.

"We're going to call it a day," said Matty.

Riley knew that Mac had managed to convince her, that wasn't the hardest part. Jack watched his two friends talk to each other.

"What kind of witchcraft is this? "he asked.

Jack watched the woman he considered a friend take his tablet in his hands and walk out the door.

"There's no witchcraft Jack, I asked Matty if we could leave and she agreed," Mac replied.

"Of course she agreed, she doesn't even believe in me."

"What are you talking about? "asked Mac & Riley at the same time.

"I'm good and she should help me subsidize my first one-man show, but she refused."

"Maybe you're not as good as you want to pretend you are, Jack."

He'd look at her with those revolting eyes, she'd tease him.

"Why are you laughing? "he asked.

She closed her eyes for a few moments and was overcome by a second vertigo. Jack had become serious again when he noticed that Riley wasn't well.

"What's going on, Riley?"

"Don't worry, I'm just a little sick, but it's nothing serious, I'll be fine, I'm going to go home and I'll see you first thing tomorrow."

"Where does it hurt? "

"Just in the head but it's okay, I'll be there first thing tomorrow."

Jack had gotten close to the woman he considered his adopted daughter and began looking for other apparent injuries.

"It's okay, get off my back Jack, it's just a headache and nothing more."

"Do you want me to take you home? "asked Jack to make amends.

"No, Mac has kindly offered to give me a ride home."

"It's very nice of you, Mac, to take my daughter home."

"It's only fair."

He glanced at the young woman, she couldn't take it anymore.

"I'll see you tomorrow Jack! "

"See you tomorrow," said Jack.

All she wanted was for Jack to stop hugging her. To be able to go home so she could rest and get over that headache.

He freed her from her muscular arms and Mac went to get her things from the team locker room. His car keys were in the back pocket of her jeans. He had come back and waved to her that it was okay.

"Shall we go?"

"I'm ready."

She had a small voice and a few black dots in front of her eyes. Riley had had to stop for a few seconds, the walk didn't seem to work for her.

He hadn't heard the footsteps of the young woman behind him and had stopped for a few moments to find out what was going on.

"Riles, are you all right? "

She nodded her head to say yes and ran to the same place as before. This time she couldn't even hide from him.

Riley was throwing up her stomach contents a second time, with a few dizzy spells to boot, Mac, who was standing next to her, had unintentionally restrained her.

"I've got you, you're not going down with me."

Riley realized how lucky she was with Mac right behind her, the fall could have been pretty brutal when she thought about it.

"Do you really want to go home? "

"Yes, why this question? "

She didn't mind at all. If she had to spend the rest of the day but didn't like to bother her friends and especially the man she had fallen in love with. Being by her side and being vulnerable herself didn't seem to be a valid equation.

"If I ask you this question, it's because knowing you would be with me would be nice, you would need someone to take care of you".

"It's not the first headache I've had and it certainly won't be the last, but it's very sweet of you."

"I don't mind and I don't have any plans if you must know."

It was as if he had read his thoughts a second time. She didn't want to tell him, but the loneliness bothered her a little. She couldn't stay here, especially since this headache seemed worse than the previous ones.

"I don't want it to bother you more than that? "

"Of what?"

"Coming to your house, I've been thinking about it and I think you're right."

"All right."

Both of them got in the jeep. Mac had a smile on his face but hadn't shown it to the young woman. He put the keys in the ignition and started the car without asking for the rest.

Riley had put his head against the window. She began to fall asleep, the sound of the car seemed to have soothed her. Mac had opened the window on her side, allowing her to get some fresh air.

At a red light, he took the opportunity to look at her, she seemed totally tired. Working in Phoenix required a lot of sacrifice, not much rest and almost no privacy. Relationships were disastrous.

Riley seemed to have escaped all this. She and Billy were still together.

A good half hour later, and despite the traffic in Los Angeles, the car was parked in front of Mac's house. It was the sound of the engine that woke him up. The young woman seemed scared because she didn't realize that they had finally arrived and she must have snored all the way home.

"Are you all right?" asked the blond boy.

"Yes, I'm fine, I fell asleep and didn't even realize we'd arrived at your house."

"It's okay, you needed some rest."

"I think, I'm so tired I'd go to bed, I don't even have time to call her"

Mac knew she was referring to her relationship with Billy Colton.

God, he could hate that guy. He seemed a little jealous of the relationship they both had. That was for sure.

He shook his head to erase those marks of jealousy, but they didn't go away. The blond boy was the first to get out of the car and prayed that she needed his help.

Sleeping all the way even though it was short seemed to do her good but she was precipitated by another discomfort. Mac had seen her directly and helped her.

It seemed as if the sky had heard her call.

"I'm here, I've got you"

His powerful arms were wrapped around his waist. She had felt as protected as ever and he had not regretted what was happening, as the young man seemed so protective.

He decided to take her in his arms because he felt that the pirate was not quite stable. She felt his body fly away in his arms. She put her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder, the smell of his aftershave was something light that didn't bother her. They were both on their way home.

She could have stayed in her arms for as long as she needed. Riley felt totally safe when he was there.

The road was so short but so nice for both of them. They hadn't even engaged in the conversation all the way through, it had been so quiet. The two of them seemed to be in osmosis. Sometimes life tried to bring two people together without even meaning to.