Begin Again

Monday morning Joanna awoke from a fitful slumber ten minutes before her alarm was set to wake her. She sighed, debating whether or not to turn over and wait it out or get a head start on the day. She stared at the ceiling, anxiety roiling in her stomach. It was the first day of the new semester. The last semester if things didn't turn around and Challengers lost their funding. There were so many things to think about, so many things that could go wrong. She slipped out of bed and headed for her bathroom.

Twenty minutes later she padded quietly down the stairs to the kitchen she shared with her parents. She turned on the TV news, keeping the volume low so as not to wake them. She didn't want to see another human being any sooner than she absolutely had to. The weatherman was calling for snow every day that week. Not a lot, just enough to make life miserable. "Terrific," she grumbled around a mouthful of cereal. Her mind drifted back to the school and the job that consumed her, defined her, controlled her. Things were such a mess! Supplies and structural maintenance were needed, but more importantly, she needed better teachers if the school was to succeed. She had been so embarrassed to introduce her staff to MacGyver. To his credit, he had been charming and polite on the outside, but she knew he was accomplished at reading people and didn't even want to guess what he had really been thinking during their little tour.

And then there was MacGyver, himself. For the first time in more years than she could count, she and her mom had stayed up late Saturday night as she talked through the conflicting emotions this man evoked in her. She had worked hard to create her 'ice queen' façade until it had become second nature to her. A defense mechanism she could switch on as easily as a lightbulb. It greatly disturbed her that this stranger had been able to get under her skin in two short days, and she didn't know how to react to that. The obvious choice was to be the detached professional and keep him at arm's length. After all, his time here was temporary. That thought made her sad. She sensed that he was a good man, a man she wanted to trust and spend time with, a man who could save her from her worst enemy….herself.

Joanna pulled into the staff parking lot and guided her car into its usual space. Normally the first one in and last one out, she was surprised to see Evelyn's car as well as MacGyver's truck already there. She gathered her things and headed into the building. She stowed her coat and boots in her office before heading down the hall to greet Evelyn. When she passed MacGyver's office, she noticed his door was open. During the drive over, Joanna had decided she would try and be nice to him. Maybe even flirt a little. It could be fun. After all, he'd be leaving sooner or later so she really didn't have anything to lose. And she just might gain a friend.

She knocked lightly on the door before stepping over the threshold. MacGyver looked up from his computer and offered her a warm smile.

"You're here bright and early," she said, trying to sound cheerful.

"What can I say, I'm a sucker for mornings."

"Can I ask you something?" she uncharacteristically blurted out.

"Sure," he replied, his attention now focused solely on her.

"How did you get this assignment?" He did not respond immediately so she continued, trying to fill the silence. "From what I did read in your dossier, you have quite an impressive background. You should be guarding diplomats or something, not babysitting teenagers."

"First of all," he leaned back in his chair, "I happen to like 'babysitting'. I spent a lot of time at Challengers out in L.A. and I like feeling that I'm making a difference in these kids' lives."

Joanna felt heat begin to rise in her cheeks. Had he just chastised her?

"Secondly, I didn't pass the Foundation's physical and was assigned to light duty." With that statement he stood up to stare out the window.

Joanna was glad he was no longer watching her as her lower jaw literally dropped at his words. She gazed at the long sleeved henley stretched firmly across his straight, broad back, his khaki pants lightly hugging his hips. How could this man not pass his physical?

As if feeling her eyes on his back, MacGyver turned to face her. His features seemed to soften, most likely in response to the utter confusion that must be displayed on her face.

"I didn't pass concussion protocol," he explained.

"Oh," was all Joanna could bring herself to say. She was not prepared for this.

"As you said," he continued, "I have quite an impressive background. Unfortunately, it also came with a few too many blows to the head by various means and it's now catching up with me."

"I'm sorry," Joanna breathed softly.

"Yeah." MacGyver raked his hand through his hair. "Which reminds me, I need to take a day off next week. I'm scheduled for another MRI."

"Oh, of course. No problem. Just let Evelyn know when."

"Will do," he smiled reassuringly. "Now I have a question for you."

"Don't make it too hard," she teased, cocking an eyebrow playfully in hopes of changing the sullen mood that had descended upon the room.

"Got any advice for a guy's first day?"

"Stay away from the teachers' lounge," she told him without hesitation. Now it was his turn to look surprised.

"Why?"

"It's where teachers get together to gossip and spread rumors. They also vent about the students. Eventually they start to believe what they hear. I prefer to keep an open mind so I stay away."

"Got it," he said with a nod. "Anything else I should know?"

"We'll be having an all-school assembly in the gym first thing. Be sure to come up to the front with the other teachers." Joanna glanced at her watch. "Well, I better get going. I have some things to do before the students arrive." And with that she turned on her heel and went back to her own office, no longer feeling like chatting with Evelyn.

Well, that conversation certainly didn't go as Joanna had expected. She had been prepared for some light chit chat about the weather or the football playoffs. Instead, they ended up talking about traumatic brain injuries! She reconsidered the plan she had made in the car earlier this morning. Perhaps it would be best to keep her distance from this enigmatic man with an unusually dangerous job and propensity for concussions.

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Shortly before 9am, MacGyver made his way to the front of the gym and sat down on a metal folding chair next to his new colleagues. Teenagers noisily clambered up the old bleachers, greeting friends they had not seen over the long winter break. Ms. Evelyn stepped up to a microphone connected to an ancient public address system and welcomed the students with a typical 'go get 'em' speech. It was then Joanna's turn to step up to the mic. Mac couldn't help but notice that she seemed to stand a little taller and speak a bit more confidently as she addressed the teens. The Challengers Code of Conduct was reviewed and then, for the sake of new students, she introduced the teachers one by one. MacGyver noticed that, unlike typical schools where teachers were addressed by their last name, these students were asked to address them by the appropriate prefix and first name.

After introducing Ms. Candy and Mr. Todd, Joanna's eyes landed on him.

"And I am pleased to introduce the new security advisor, Mr. MacGyver."

Mac raised one eyebrow at her.

"Um, Mr. Mac if you prefer," she amended before turning to dismiss the students. Hmmm, perhaps the ice queen was melting just a tad.

As bodies poured out of the gymnasium and into the corridor, Mac was caught in a whirlwind of activity that made the week fly by. He monitored the halls, assessed the effectiveness of the current security measures, and researched how other alternative high schools managed student and staff safety. But his favorite activity was assisting Mr. Kowalski in the science lab. He enjoyed mixing up his special 'recipes' and seeing the teens' faces as chemicals reacted with each other in various ways. Unfortunately, his other duties left him with little time to indulge himself with the kids in the lab.

Following Joanna's suggestion, MacGyver stayed away from the teachers' lounge, opting to mingle with the students in the cafeteria or rec room whenever he had a chance. He hardly saw Joanna and couldn't help but notice that every time he walked past her office she had her door closed tight. He figured she probably had a lot of paper work to do, but sometimes he could swear he would hear it click shut just before he rounded the corner. The few times he did see her she was assisting in the learning center surrounded by students all seeking her attention. He knew how they felt. Her eyes shone brightly as she helped them one by one with their daily assignments amidst raised hands and requests for 'Ms. Jo'. MacGyver sensed an energy about her that was not present when she was behind her desk. She was truly a puzzle he was becoming obsessed with solving.

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As predicted, and much to Joanna's dismay, it snowed a bit every day that week. Nothing major, but enough to cover the cars and make the roads slick. Early in the week, Joanna stayed at work as long as she could because when she left she'd have to brush the snow off her car. A common and mundane activity, but one she especially hated for no good reason. To her surprise, every afternoon when she got to the parking lot, her car was already free of snow. At first she assumed it was a student trying to get on her good side. After all, it wasn't a secret which car she drove. But Officer Carl was a stickler when it came to protecting staff and their property. No way would he let a student get near someone's car. At least not more than once. She glanced at the parking space next to hers and the small pile of clumped snow. It was always empty by the time she left, but she knew MacGyver had claimed it for his SUV. She felt a tingle of warmth in the pit of her stomach. Yep, looked like someone was trying to get on her good side. She smiled.

The following week seemed interminably long, and it was only Tuesday. The thrill of returning to school had worn off already causing a high absenteeism rate. The kids that did show up were restless and looking for trouble. It wasn't anything the staff couldn't easily handle, but it was one more thing Joanna was losing control over. MacGyver had been there yesterday to help out, but he was at the Phoenix facility in Chicago today for his MRI. His absence shouldn't make a difference. She had worked there a year and a half unaware of his existence, but in the last week had come to depend on his calm, steady presence. She shook her head as if it would help her mentally erase all thoughts of him. A pile of paperwork awaited and she had several phone calls to make. And still it was only Tuesday.

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MacGyver arrived back in Milwaukee late Tuesday afternoon. He had tried to charm the Phoenix radiologist into giving him the results of his test, or at least letting him sneak a peek for himself, but the woman was intolerable and insisted he wait like everyone else. Hopefully someone would call with the results before the weekend.

He was back at work on Wednesday and returned to his normal routine. It was only his second week there, too soon to actually have a routine, but he did. Not that anything was ever routine when dealing with at-risk high schoolers! That afternoon he stayed later than normal, closeted in Evelyn's office with Joanna to brainstorm ways to alleviate the tension that had been building amongst the students and staff. It was well after 5pm before he left the building. The winter sun had already set and he couldn't help but notice how dark it was. Lighting. He definitely had to get some serious outdoor lighting in place. Rounding the corner to the parking lot, he noticed Joanna's coupe sitting by itself, Evelyn's hatchback parked several spaces away. Where was his Blazer? As he moved closer, he could see a small pile of glass glinting in the light from the building behind him. The glass formerly known as his driver's side window.

"Aw man!" he exclaimed, though no one was there to hear him. Throwing his hands in the air, he turned back to the school.

MacGyver stomped down the hall to his private office, startling Evelyn and Joanna who were gathering their coats.

"Mac, what's wrong?" Evelyn inquired before Joanna could form a coherent thought.

"Someone stole my truck," he answered through gritted teeth, trying to remain calm. "I thought the lot was supposed to be secured."

"Carl takes care of that," Joanna told him.

"Obviously not!" MacGyver shot back. He tone was harsher than he had intended and he immediately felt guilty as Joanna's eyes found the floor.

"Where is he anyway?" Mac asked, glancing around.

"He leaves at five," Evelyn replied.

And then they all realized that Carl had left while they were still meeting. A waiting thief would have had plenty of time to smash the window and hot wire the truck before MacGyver had even left the building.

"Terrific," Mac muttered as he picked up the phone to call the police.

"One of us will stay with you," Evelyn informed him. She was standing ramrod straight while next to her Joanna shifted her weight from one foot to the other as if she couldn't decide whether to stay or run like the wind.

MacGyver pinched the bridge of his nose as his head began to pound. Apparently the stress of waiting for his MRI results, dealing with unruly teens, and having his vehicle stolen had been, well, stressful.

"That's not necessary," he replied while waiting for his call to be answered.

"And just how do you plan on getting home, young man?" Evelyn asked.

Boy, was he losing it! The guy everyone called on to save the day was suddenly stranded at school without a set of wheels. He scrubbed his face with his hands.

"Guess I hadn't thought about that," he replied quietly.

"Well, I should get myself home and walk Lady before she relieves herself in my house. Perhaps Joanna would be willing to stay and drive you home. It's practically on her way," Evelyn suggested with a saccharin smile.

Mac saw a hint of panic in Joanna's eyes briefly appear right before she pinned Evelyn with the dagger-shooting gaze she had used on the woman the day he had first met them.

Before Joanna could reply, an officer came on the line and MacGyver began to explain what had happened.

"I understand, sir," the officer responded. "I'll send a patrol car over as soon as one is available."

Mac knew that was cop code for 'it's not a priority' so he figured a little name-dropping wouldn't hurt.

"I don't think you understand, officer," he began politely, "I'm a field operative with the Phoenix Foundation and I'm in a bit of a rush."

"No problem sir! We'll send someone right over." Bingo!

As MacGyver hung up the phone, he heard Joanna in her office making a phone call of her own. He didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the walls in this part of the building were thin, more like partitions.

"I'm gonna be late, Ma. Mac's truck was stolen." She called him 'Mac"!

"No, that's OK. I'll pick something up on the way home." A police officer walked through the front door garnering MacGyver's attention and causing Joanna to hastily end her call.

"You guys really need to keep that door locked after hours," the officer cautioned.

"Yes, I know, officer. But things got a bit hectic around here," Joanna replied in a defensive tone.

"You know, Joanna, you don't need to stick around," MacGyver turned to her. "I'll manage to get home."

"No," she answered firmly. "I can drive you, it's not a problem. I promised Evelyn." Of course, she was doing it for Evelyn. Not him.

"But you don't even know where I live!"

"I assume you're staying in the apartment building Phoenix rents for long-term temporary Challengers staff."

"Yeah," was all Mac could get out before the officer cleared his throat, anxious to get on with the report.

The police officer spent the next 30 minutes gathering basic information from MacGyver and Joanna, peppering them with questions about possible suspects, and examining the crime scene.

MacGyver suddenly remembered the surveillance cameras he had seen on the building.

"What about surveillance footage?" He asked the officer.

The officer turned to Joanna. "You have surveillance cameras of the area?"

Mac looked at Joanna expectantly. "Well, um, not really. The cameras don't work anymore," she said, cringing inwardly.

"What do you mean they don't work?" MacGyver fairly growled at her.

"They take a beating in this climate. We couldn't afford to have them repaired or replaced. We hoped leaving them up would be enough deterrent for would-be thieves." MacGyver continued to glare at her. "I guess we were wrong," she said flatly, biting her bottom lip.

"Um, well, okay folks," the officer said uncertainly, sensing the tension in the air. "I'll file the report as soon as I get back to the station, but to be honest, the chances of recovering your vehicle are pretty slim. Slimmer if you want it intact." And with that the officer nodded farewell and headed out into the night.

MacGyver let out a tired sigh. Would this day ever end?

"You ready to go?" Joanna asked softly as she closed her office door behind her, coat on and briefcase in hand.

"No, actually I'm not," Mac retorted. "How many nights do you leave here after dark? Huh? The lighting stinks and now you tell me the cameras are just for show! Don't you at least value your personal safety?!"

"Of course I do," Joanna shot back. "Look," she continued softly, all the fight had left her face, "can we just get out of here?"

MacGyver felt pangs of guilt pummel his chest at her gentle, broken voice. He hadn't meant to yell at her. He was tired, that was all. Tired and stressed.

"Yeah, let's go," he muttered quietly, urging her ahead of him with his hand on the small of her back.