Chapter Four: First Aid

MacGyver pulled the car to a stop about a mile or two further on, knowing that even if the kidnappers were pursuing, it would take them at least half an hour to get this far on foot.

"Everyone all right?" he asked, half turning to look into the back seat.

"Yes," came the answer as three pairs of eyes gazed at him in wordless gratitude.

"Lucie, I'll trade ya," MacGyver offered, fishing on the floor at his feet. Coming up with her bear, he brushed it off before passing it between the seats.

Lucie's eyes lit up. "My teddy!" she squealed, hugging it rapturously.

MacGyver grinned. Even if turning back for her bear had cost him the burning wound in his shoulder, the joy in her face was definitely worth it.

Assured that the girls were all right, MacGyver turned his attention then to his injury, tearing the rip in his sleeve larger to see the wound beneath. It wasn't that bad, he determined. The bullet had grazed him, leaving a gash three or four inches long. But though his sleeve was bloodied, it had already started to dry and stick, the wound itself only oozing in places.

"You're hurt!" Mari exclaimed, fear leaping into her eyes.

MacGyver gave her a quick smile. "Just a scratch. Pass me that first aid kit under the seat, will ya?" Suspecting it might be needed again, he hadn't bothered to return it to its place after using it for Lucie.

Gripping the end of the sleeve with the fingers of the same hand, he half cut, half tore it off at the shoulder, then pulled it off and let it lie on the floor.

He steeled himself as he swabbed the gash with antiseptic-soaked gauze, unable to keep from grimacing slightly at the liquid's harsh sting. "Yow," he muttered, then caught sight of Mari's anxious expression in the rearview mirror.

"Mari, why don't you come up and give me a hand bandaging this up?" he suggested. He sensed helping tend his injury might help reassure her, and bandaging his own shoulder would be tricky enough that he was genuinely grateful for even an eight-year-old's help.

Mari crawled between the seats and knelt on the passenger seat as she concentrated carefully on taping down the bandage MacGyver held.

"Thanks," he said, grinning at her. "You make a good nurse." *

Mari smiled shyly at his praise.

"So," MacGyver began, cutting the strings from his jacket and shaking out the folds before pulling it on, "where are you girls from?"

"Pine Valley," Mari answered.

"How about you, Lucie; same place?"

"Maybe," Lucie said.

MacGyver raised an eyebrow and glanced back at Mari.

"They grabbed her the same place they grabbed us," Mari supplied. "Then we drove and drove."

"Yeah… Looks like our best plan is to head for the nearest town, and have the police there contact the authorities down in Pine Valley. Saw a sign that there's somethin' about a coupla miles on. You three buckle up, an' let's get goin'."

Next chapter coming next week!

* Illustration for this scene can be found at www . deviantart . com [slash] femalechauvinist [slash] art [slash] Tending-Wounds-865861161

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 alternate history, check my profile first to see if they're answered there. Thanks for your understanding! Barbie