It's not them, lying on the cold metal gurneys.

To be sure, it was their bodies covered by those white sheets. But what gave them life- vim and fire, intelligence, cleverness, wit- that was all gone.

It's what Mac missed the most, looking down at them.

But he said the words anyway. Yes, that's my sister Allison. My brother-in-law Michael. My nephew Christopher.

Not his niece Rebecca, thank god.

Not his own Becky.

(She was staying home, chaperoned by Margaret Doyle from Child Services. No way was he letting her see them in this state.)

After the coroner tucked the bodies away there were forms to fill out and arrangements to make with a mortuary and funeral home. The usual pomp, circumstance and bureaucracy surrounding the burial of the dead. He hated paperwork with a vengeance, but completed everything regardless.

Necessary evils, he remembered his mother calling them once. And she knew what she was talking about, having to practically run the cafe back in Mission City all by herself, after the car crash that took his father and Grandma Celia.

He wondered briefly what she must've gone through, identifying those bodies with Harry at her side. Did she feel the same absence?

Lunch and idle chit-chat at a fast-food joint with Malinowski afterwards, then back to his sister's house to begin working on another necessary evil.

Cleaning house.

The most depressing thing about a death in the family wasn't so much the funeral itself, but rather the necessity of having to deal with whatever was left behind.

Several days later MacGyver slouched at the table in his sister's dining room, staring glumly at the stacks of boxes scattered around him, full of all the things in the house remaining not marked either for sale or donation.

So many memories in this house, good times with his sister and her family. Holidays and birthdays and just plain relaxing in between trips around the world. The day Allison placed his niece in his arms and he fell in love at first sight. When Becky took her first faltering steps, right towards him.

The service and burial for all three happened at the same time rather than separately. Easier that way, he supposed. More cost-effective as well, though Mac had access through a local branch to his bank account to cover every needed expense.

On the whole it was pretty nice, with fond memories and funny stories shared by many people. Colleagues from Allison's university, some from the middle school where Michael taught, old friends from back in the day. Kids that went to school with Chris or knew him or his dad through the local Scout troop, which presented a color guard in their honor.

MacGyver had tried his best to be sociable under the circumstances, but Becky was a silent, solemn and pale shadow of herself throughout the whole afternoon. After the brief gathering at the house she'd disappeared without one word to Mac. He had an idea where she was headed but decided to give her space for a while.

A framed family portrait on the table, partially wrapped in newspaper, caught his eye, a formal setting taken a few years earlier, all dressed in nice clothes- though he remembered refusing to wear a tie, even then- and smiling warmly; Chris standing close to Michael and Allison with Becky perched on Mac's lap, a protective arm around her.

He wondered what would happen to her, now that he was the only family she had left (Michael had been an only child, parents gone a long time ago). Foster care was an option, he supposed. Or he could take her in- but was putting her life perpetually at risk as a result truly the best way to ensure her future?

He honestly had no idea.

A knock on the front door interrupted his gloomy thoughts and he went to answer. A dark-skinned man with glasses stood on the porch holding a briefcase, his features solemn. "Mr. MacGyver? Brian Malinowski," he said in a soft, deep voice. "We met at the funeral. I'm a friend of Allison and Michael, and their lawyer. I wanted to offer my sincerest condolences. They were very nice people, and good friends."

"Thanks," Mac replied with a sad smile as they shook hands. "They were pretty terrific, all right. Anything I can do for you? Care for some coffee or tea?"

"Thank you no, but there is something I can do for you." Malinowski set the briefcase on a nearby bench and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "I helped set up their will. Pretty basic; nothing too complicated that has to go through probate, fortunately. Instructions for selling the house and as much of the contents as you don't want to keep, information on the setup of a trust fund for the surviving children- or child, in this case-"

"For Becky, you mean."

"Yeah." The lawyer gave a heavy sigh. "Poor kid. She's always been shy and reticent, but judging on how quiet she was during the service, she must really be hurting inside." He shook his head. "Anyway. Since she's orphaned now and still a minor, there are some options for her; for example, she could be placed in a stable foster home and cared for until she's eighteen."

Mac had been leafing through the papers as he spoke; at the words he looked up suddenly. "She won't like having to live with absolute strangers at all, and I gotta admit it doesn't sound too good to me either."

"I'm glad you think that way. For Becky's sake I do hope you agree to be her guardian. I saw how she looked only to you for comfort during the service, which reflects in a way how very close a relationship you have with her. I recall Allie and Mike talking a lot about you, all of it highly favorable. They once remarked, in fact, that if they died while the kids were still young they'd want you to take care of them, especially Becky."

Mac raised an eyebrow. He remembered discussing it casually with his sister in the past, but at the time he was still doing missions for the DXS so caring for the kids was not exactly a good idea.

Not that his current work for Phoenix was any less life-threatening.

How could he think of exposing Becky to that kind of danger on a regular basis? Yet how could he make sure she was properly cared for, otherwise?

Malinowski reached again into the briefcase and handed over another set of documents. "These papers outline the terms of guardianship, and the responsibilities both of you will have to each other. Please read them and think about it. I know it's a big decision and a big commitment to make. It'll require at least some discussion between you and Becky, so take your time if you have to. Once you decide, let me know and I'll handle the legal filing, any dealings with Child Services on your behalf, and even the court appearances, all free of charge."

MacGyver thumbed through the second set of papers, considering all that the lawyer had said. It was true that he didn't like the idea of his niece having to stay in a foster home with people neither of them knew, but the thought of the potential risk to her life if she moved in with him instead was equally unsettling.

Sure Becky had been more than capable of looking after herself the few times he was busy during the summer, but could they live that way for the next four years, or even longer? He had way too many enemies lately who'd jump at the chance to be able to harm him through her despite his best efforts; no guarantee he could provide for her safety full-time.

What was the best decision for her future, then? Go ahead and choose, or allow her to make the call? His thoughts were in a turmoil, and even his usually reliable gut feeling was unable to provide suitable advice.

"I'll definitely think about it," Mac temporized, "and talk it over with Becky. Thanks for stopping by. We really appreciate all your help and support."

Malinowski smiled as they shook hands. "Please don't mention it. It's the least I could do for Allison and Michael. Give me a call when you finally decide, and please give my sincerest regards to Becky. Good day, Mr. MacGyver." With a final nod he left.

Mac stood on the porch for a while, lost in thought, then closed the door and locked it. He strolled down the tree-lined streets of the neighborhood, in the direction of the large city park that was only a few blocks away.

Time to have a talk with his niece about her future.

It never had a name, really.

Landmarks within it had names (Darkmaze Woods, Whitefoam River, Sweetshade Forest, the Lone Watchtower, the Whispering Sea, the Ironheart Mountains), but never the kingdom itself. Mac had no idea why.

In reality her kingdom's a small corner, a hidden meadow at the edge of a city park. But in Becky's mind it became as vast as her imagination could get.

He clearly remembered one beautiful summer day when he joined them on a picnic to that park, when she revealed to her confidant and best friend her own secret imaginary magical realm. After that they spent many hours during the remainder of his visit together, sharing special moments, and he figured that was where she most likely would be.

Always fair and slight, Becky seemed even more fragile that afternoon, sitting on the old stump that had been the throne and palace of her daydreams, arms wrapped around her legs, staring into space.

So isolated and lost. What could he do to get through to her?

Small steps first. "Hey, Becky. How's it going?"

She glanced up towards him but made no reply. At least it wasn't an outright rejection.

He sat down and touched her hair, ever so lightly. "It's all right, sweetheart. You know you can talk to me. C'mon."

There was a long pause before she finally spoke. "It's all gone. There's no magic here anymore. I've been trying to imagine what everything looked like, but can't see any of it. It's just a wooded corner and a small meadow by a creek at the edge of a city park. I've lost everything."

"No, you haven't. I'm still here, your most faithful knight and consort- remember, my princess? When you first revealed your secret kingdom to me I promised I'd always be here for you. I never go back on a promise, you know that. There's still magic here, I'm sure of it."

"Why should I believe you? Nobody likes me, or cares about me. Why does everyone make fun of me? Why can't somebody just come right out and say, 'I like you'?"

The querulous tone of her voice worried him. "Hey, I like you, Becky. A lot. I always have. C'mon, why else do you think I hang around you all the time?"

"What's wrong with me? Maybe I really am a nerd, like everybody says in school. I'm not popular, I like to read and study, and I'm not good at any sport. I'm short and not pretty. Nobody pays attention to me. I might as well be invisible, for all anybody cares."

Over the years he'd come to consider his nephew and niece almost as his own children; at that moment Becky was so much like him, so full of self-doubt it was scary to watch. He simply couldn't let her beat herself up over things the same way he did.

MacGyver sensed the profound depth of her sorrow, and wondered how to make everything all right again.

Then it came to him: adopt Becky. Ease her emotional pain, make sure she was properly taken care of, show her how very much she was loved and cared for. Become her guardian in fact. Take direct responsibility for her welfare, even if he was putting her life in danger along with his own.

If she agreed in the first place, that is; since she was already aware of the potential consequences, he decided to leave the choice up to her. Surely together they could handle whatever came their way, good or bad.

But first he had to save his niece from her own grief.

"Becky, stop it. Stop hurting yourself over something that was an accident. It wasn't your fault, not at all."

"But Unc, it must've been, somehow! Why else did they die? Maybe I wasn't good enough...I didn't please them enough...I didn't try hard enough...I didn't-" She collapsed against Mac, sobbing uncontrollably; eventually tears also trickled freely down his own face. He held her tight against him as together they gave voice to their shared loss and pain.

At length the tears stopped and she pulled away slightly, blinking away tears as she stared up into his warm, compassionate gaze. He tenderly kissed her forehead and produced a handkerchief, wiping off the salty drops that lingered on her cheek.

"You're gonna be okay, sweetheart. I've got you. You're not alone, and above all you're not a terrible person. They loved you as much as I do, because you're so kind, smart and helpful, and you made them very happy, just like you've always made me happy. My brave princess."

"You mean all that, Unc?"

"Of course I do. You had nothing to do with it, absolutely nothing. Bad things just happen sometimes, and the best we can do is pick up the pieces and try to make the most of what's around us, so maybe it won't happen again."

"I wish I could believe you."

"You will. Maybe not now, but someday you'll understand. Believe me."

"If you say so."

"I do, Beck. Hey- your mom ever told you about Harry?"

"Sure. He helped raise you both when you were kids. Your grandfather, my great-grandfather."

"Well, he used to say that dying's a lot like family. You don't get to choose when or how you die or who your relatives are, and you're stuck with both forever."

A corner of her mouth quirked up slightly. "Sounds like the kind of advice Mom always said he gave you both, growing up in Mission City."

"Yeah, it is. Harry's pretty smart; I hope you get to meet him someday. But you do see, don't you? Your parents and Chris died when they were supposed to, not because of anything you did. Do you understand?"

A halfhearted shrug in reply. "I guess."

Mac knew she was still unconvinced, and didn't blame her at all for feeling that way. This was something she'd have to come to grips with, just like he was still trying to do himself.

"So what happens now? Where do I go from here?"

Good question. On one hand MacGyver had his current work for Phoenix, which was unpredictable at best; likely some aspect of that would have to change so she could have a stable home- less globetrotting, perhaps. And caring for his niece full time was far different from occasionally helping out in the Big Brother program.

Besides, what did he know about raising a teenage girl by himself? Though he and Becky shared everything important, there was little he really knew about her daily life. And no ladies in his life he could turn to for advice if things got weird between them, other than Penny and Nikki. Certainly no other serious relationships, though he supposed Pete or- god forbid- Jack might be willing to keep an eye on her when he got too busy.

On the other hand there was Becky herself. Bright, clever, cheerful. The sweetest, most precious thing in his life. With a good head on her shoulders, too; her smart, responsible behavior over the summer certainly proved that. Maybe she'd even be able to keep him grounded, just by being around.

One thing he knew for certain was that if he gave her over to the care of strangers and something bad happened to her, he'd never forgive himself.

Sometimes you gotta take a chance, Bud. Harry told him that once.

"You remember Mr. Malinowski, from the funeral?"

"Sure. He was a friend of Mom and Dad. Their lawyer, too."

"According to him, since you're still a minor there are a couple options available. You could go stay with foster parents until you turn eighteen; we'd make sure that they're trustworthy and good for you, and I'd naturally get to visit."

"I don't wanna live with complete strangers." She firmly shook her head. "No way. What's the second option?"

He took a deep breath. "Sweetheart, you could come live with me. I'd become your legal guardian instead. It'd be tough because things will be very different for you- living in another city in another state, making new friends, getting used to my own eccentric lifestyle and equally eccentric friends."

"I think eccentric's something of an understatement, frankly." Becky muttered with a faint smile. He returned it, thankful she seemed to be returning to her old self.

"And we'll both be busy- you with school and me with my work for Phoenix. But I'm sure we'll work out a way to have enough free time to spend together if we really wanted to."

"But what about your work? Your Phoenix assignments can get pretty dangerous sometimes, and there may be times when enemies who are out to get you try to go after the people you care for first, like me. Not to mention when Jack ropes you into another of his ridiculous schemes. Over the summer I saw firsthand you can't really separate work from home. Wouldn't my life be in danger as well, because I'd be living with you?"

Mac shrugged. "Tell you the truth, I don't actually know. I won't lie and say it probably won't happen, but I guess we'll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it. Though I have no doubt you can handle it."

"Really, Unc?"

"Hey, have I ever lied to you? You can do anything you put your mind to, Becky, don't ever forget that."

She smiled faintly. "I remember the stories you used to tell me, about the bravest princess in the world."

"And she's still here, standing right in front of me." He reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands. "I promise I'll do my best to take care of you, sweetheart. I'll do anything to make sure you're happy and safe. You know how much I love you, and I honestly think we'll be good for each other. So what do you say? You wanna give it a try?"

He watched as she considered his words and waited anxiously for her answer. It was a major decision for her, one that would determine the course of both their lives from that moment on.

Finally she looked up, eyes shining with relief and love. "Yeah, Uncle Mac. I want to live with you. I'd like you to be my guardian, no matter what happens in the future. Because I love you, and I think we'll be good for each other too."

"You mean it?" She nodded, and for the first time in days- or maybe even longer- he found himself grinning. On impulse he gathered her up in a warm and affectionate hug. "That's great, Becky. I love you too," he murmured as their foreheads touched. "I'm so glad you decided to stay with me."

"So am I. But what happens now?"

"For starters, let's get back to the house. There are some forms to fill out, then I'll call Malinowski and let him do the filing and all the other legal stuff. It may take some time for everything to be processed, but then we'll be free to return to L.A. Okay?"

"Okay. I don't mind waiting, so long as you're with me. Let's go home, Unc. I'm ready."

"That's my girl." Becky stood on tiptoe and he bent down halfway, accepting her kiss. Hand in hand they turned away from the meadow, leaving the secret imaginary kingdom and her childhood behind.

Ready to face whatever lay ahead, good or bad.