Spring Break: Miracles and Tragedies

Joanna awoke slowly. Her throat was dry, her head ached, and her eyes were sore and slightly swollen from the tears she had shed the night before. She remembered MacGyver coming to her, comforting her. She didn't remember him leaving. He must have stayed until she was asleep. Her heart warmed. She sat on the edge of the bed, looking out the window. In her haste to bury herself under the covers last night she had failed to pull the curtains. Heavy grey clouds shrouded the sky and a misty fog rose from the water. All was quiet and still. She heard the patio door slide open or closed, she wasn't sure which. Mac was already up and about.

After showering and donning her blue jeans and favorite Packer sweatshirt, she went in search of her friend. Yes, she now considered MacGyver her friend. Perhaps she always had but was too stubborn to admit it until now. She found him standing at the edge of the yard staring out over the lake. He slowly turned as if sensing her presence.

"Morning," he greeted her, his voice gentle.

"Morning," she whispered in reply.

"How're you doing?"

"I'm fine. But I owe you an apology for last night," she began softly.

"Nothing to apologize for."

"I know most guys hate it when girls cry—"

"I'm not most guys," he assured her before she could say more.

"Yeah, I've kinda figured that out about you. You tend to run toward things most people would run away from." Silence, though she thought she saw a small smile tug at his lips. "Like at the stables yesterday," she continued. "I wanted to leave when things didn't feel right, but you didn't hesitate to get involved. If it wasn't for you, Earl would still be mistreating those horses."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short, I couldn't have done it without you," MacGyver reprimanded mildly.

"But all I did was stand there. I didn't even say anything."

"That's not true," Mac responded firmly. "You followed my lead and kept the horses calm and protected. We were in a nasty situation but you stayed focused and did all the right things, just like with Jesse."

Joanna's gaze fell and she remained quiet.

"Is that what upset you? The horses?"

"Maybe subconsciously," she shrugged. "I've seen stuff like that on TV but never in person. It was hard to see, but I know they'll be taken care of now."

She glanced up at MacGyver and saw confusion marring his chiseled features. This conversation was harder than she had anticipated, but she had grown to respect Mac too much to try and hide things from him. Besides, she needed to share her pain with someone and he was there, hopefully ready to listen.

Joanna turned her back to the lake and walked to a large, red-wood swing. Mac followed her. They sat side-by-side on the bench and began to sway smoothly back and forth.

"Last night, when Kat and I were talking, she told me she's sold the resort." Her eyes began to sting as unbidden tears threatened to fall. She repositioned herself on the swing, folding one leg under her so she could turn and face MacGyver. "I know that probably doesn't sound like a big deal to you, but this place is really special to me. It's my refuge, my sanctuary. The one place I can come and let go of the inhibitions I live with for fifty-one weeks a year."

Her head fell. "I guess that sounds pretty corny, hey?" she tried to laugh.

MacGyver reached out and put his strong index finger under her chin, tenderly raising her head until their gazes locked. He was looking at her the same way he had looked at the injured horses; not with pity, but with a kind of sorrow.

"It's not 'corny' at all," he murmured, as his thumb wiped away a stray tear from her cheek. "We all need a place like this. From the minute we arrived I saw a whole different side of you. The part you try to hide. The part of you that laughs, and teases, and flirts, and lives in the moment." He drew his hand away as Jo attempted to give him a watery smile. "Did she say why she's selling?"

"Yeah," Joanna nodded. "A big developer is buying up a lot of lake property to build a condo community. She's had a hard time keeping this place up and running, and he made an offer she couldn't refuse."

"I'm sorry," he offered weakly.

Her gaze fell yet again. "I was going to tell you about it when I got back to the house, but you were on the phone with Pete. I heard how anxious you are about getting back into the field and I just felt like…I felt like I was losing everything." Before Mac could reply Jo quickly continued, "I know your assignment here is temporary and I know that you have to leave, I just…"

"Aw baby," Mac opened his arms and she leaned into his embrace, laying her head on his shoulder. "You're not gonna lose me. I'll always be here for you. I'm just a phone call away. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Joanna warned him, raising her head and pulling back to look him in the eye.

"I never do."

The air hung heavy between them.

Suddenly large drops of rain began to fall. "Oh terrific, looks like we'll be stuck inside today," Jo murmured.

"C'mon, I've got something I think will cheer you up," Mac smiled as he grabbed her hand and they sprinted to the house, reaching shelter just as the sky opened up and rain poured down. He left Jo in the living room as he headed to his bedroom. When he came back he was holding a video cassette.

"A movie?"

"Better," he grinned. "Hockey."

Her brow furrowed.

"More specifically," he explained, puffing out his chest, "The 1980 USA Olympic Hockey team's 'Miracle on Ice' game.

Joanna's eyes brightened. "How did you manage to get that?"

"Phoenix owed me a favor for an assignment I did for them a while back," he shrugged. "Why don't you grab us some snacks," he suggested.

While Mac was getting the tape cued up, Joanna poured them each a glass of orange juice and filled two large plastic bowls with the fruit salad she had made the previous day. The pair settled into matching recliners and soon became engrossed in the game as the rain continued to fall.

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MacGyver couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed watching a hockey game so much, or perhaps watching someone else watch a hockey game. From the first face-off of the game, Joanna's eyes were glued to the TV. He wondered if she bothered to blink. True to her word, she had a strong basic understanding of the sport, but Mac soon discovered that a little knowledge was a dangerous thing as she began to pepper him with questions about the rules, penalties, and players. MacGyver took his time and answered all her queries until she was satisfied with his explanations. When she could not think of any more legitimate questions, she started to make humorous editorial comments and inquire about facets of the game most people took for granted. The more he pretended to get exasperated with her, the more she thought of off-the-wall comments and questions to share. Still, she paid rapt attention to the game and expressed her disappointment when referees would break up fights which Mac found both amusing and endearing. Most of the women he knew didn't care for hockey, claiming it was too violent. Not Joanna. She seemed most delighted and cheered the hardest when a member of Team USA would check an opponent hard against the boards.

The afternoon passed quickly as the rain continued to fall, sometimes increasing in intensity accompanied by flashes of lightening and rumblings of thunder before slowing to a gentle patter on the roof.

MacGyver continued to enjoy watching Joanna's excitement as she cheered for USA goals and strong defensive moves. With ten minutes left in the game, the US team had a 4-3 lead and Jo was literally on the edge of her seat, causing Mac to smile. As time ticked down, the Soviets took several wild shots on goal. The closing minutes found Joanna leaning forward in her chair, hands folded in front of her face, her lips moving silently. Was she actually praying?!

"Relax," Mac grinned. "I promise that we win."

"Shhhh," she responded, obviously annoyed that he dared break the silence of such a historic moment. As the final buzzer sounded and the team and their fans celebrated, tears flowed freely down Jo's face. MacGyver remained silent, giving her time to collect herself. To be honest, those final minutes and the ensuing revelry never failed to give him goosebumps.

"Wow! What a way to win the gold medal!" Joanna exclaimed.

"That wasn't the medal game," Mac explained. "That was the game that got them to the medal round. They still had to beat Finland."

"Oh," Jo frowned.

"Had enough hockey for one day?" he asked.

"Well," Joanna responded sheepishly, "I'm getting kinda hungry."

MacGyver glanced at his watch, surprised at how late it was.

"No problem," Mac assured her. "We can always catch the last game some other time."

"You want Chinese?" he asked, holding his cell phone in one hand and a delivery menu in the other.

"Sure," Joanna replied. "Get whatever you like. Just don't order anything too spicy. Oh, and don't forget Crab Rangoon!"

"Yes ma'am!" MacGyver had the weird notion to salute her.

He dialed the number to the restaurant and perused the menu as he waited for someone to answer his call.

"Fortune Restaurant, how can I help you?" a slightly accented female voice came on the line.

"Hi. I'd like to place an order for delivery."

"I'm sorry, sir, but we have stopped delivery service until the storm passes."

"Oh, I see. Thanks anyway." He hung up the phone.

"What's up?" Joanna asked.

"They're not delivering because of the rain."

Joanna scrunched up her nose. "That's strange."

"Should we try for pizza?" Mac suggested.

"No, I'm sure it would take way too long. Let's just eat what we have."

MacGyver feasted on his famous alfalfa sprout sandwich and tofu while Joanna boiled some eggs which she paired with a hunk of cheese and a yogurt she pilfered from Mac.

"So, do you want to watch the gold medal game or find something else to do?" MacGyver asked after they had finished eating. Joanna shot him an 'are you kidding me?' look. "OK, more hockey it is!"

Joanna went to tidy up the kitchen as MacGyver turned the TV back on and tuned into a local television station. Even though the evening news was long over, a concerned looking meteorologist appeared on the screen, a very active weather radar behind him and the words 'tornado warning' scrolling along the top.

"Um, Joanna, you better come here."

"What's wrong?" she asked, as she stood beside him, now also focused on the TV.

"They said a strong thunderstorm with a history of producing funnel clouds is headed this way."

Jo stood unresponsive.

"C'mon," Mac grabbed her by the upper arm to spur her into motion. "Let's grab some essentials and head for cover."

MacGyver strode calmly yet purposefully toward his room, trusting that Joanna would follow. From her reaction, he assumed she had a deep-seated fear of such storms, but now was not the time for psychoanalysis. He pulled two large plastic bags from his duffel and turned around to hand one to Jo.

"It's waterproof," he explained as she reached out to him. "Grab a change of clothes and a few other essentials, but make it quick!"

Once MacGyver had packed his own emergency bag he headed to Joanna's walk-in closet. She was still adding items to her own bag.

"There's a trap door here that leads under the house," he told her. "We'll crawl down there and lay low 'til the storm passes."

As MacGyver struggled to lift the heavy door, Joanna rebelled. "Oh no! No way!" she proclaimed. "There's no telling what kind of creepy-crawlies are living under there. I'm going to your bathroom. It's an interior room with no windows." And she began to walk away. Mac reached out to grab her but caught an armful of air instead.

"But this is the safest place," he called, trying to reason with her as the wind and rain beat against the windows.

"I'll be sitting in the shower stall if you need me," she called back.

Insufferable woman! MacGyver started to go after her when there was a loud pounding on the door. Joanna had gotten there first and Kat was stepping into the small entryway.

"Grab your stuff and come with me," she instructed. "I have a full basement under my house."

The trio hurried across the lawn to the far side of the yard where Kat's house sat. They reached it just as hail began to fall. Dripping wet, they rushed down the steps to the dark, dank basement. The storm seemed less ferocious here. Maybe it was passing them by. The high glass-block windows were no longer being beaten with rain and the lightening had ceased.

"I'm going up and check things out. You two stay here," MacGyver instructed Kat and Jo.

Mac reached the first floor and hurried to the closest window. The rain had, indeed, stopped and the fury of the storm was replaced with an eerie calm. Suddenly, he heard what sounded like a freight train off in the distance. The sound grew closer as pressure began to build in his ears. He knew what was coming and he knew they didn't have much time.

"Take cover!" he yelled as he scrambled down the stairs. He caught sight of a heavy wood dining table pushed against a wall.

"Under here," he instructed, grabbing each woman by the hand. They scurried under the table and assumed a tuck-and-roll position. The roar was exponentially louder now and MacGyver's ears felt ready to pop. Instinctively he leaned over Jo, protecting her head and back with his body while he attempted to protect his own head with his arms. He could feel the house above them begin to shake. The sounds of booming thuds and shattering glass surrounded them. He could feel Joanna trembling against him, a small whimper escaped from her lips.

"Hang on, we're gonna be OK," he promised, his mouth close to her ear. He felt her nod slightly. Time stood still as the storm raged on. The assault seemed to last for hours, though Mac knew in reality it had probably been less than a minute. When the roaring wind retreated and the earth was still once more, the threesome slowly unfolded themselves and crawled out from the shelter of the table. MacGyver led them up the stairs, uncertain as to what they would encounter. Blackness. The storm had taken out the power. Mac pulled two small flashlights from his pocket and handed one to Joanna. Kat had her own.

"Let's split up and check on the house," Kat commanded.

MacGyver preferred they all stick together, but he knew Kat was anxious about the condition of her home. After instructing the women to be careful and watch where they stepped, three beams of light went off in different directions. A few minutes later, the little group reconvened in the kitchen. Damage was limited to a few broken windows and everyone was greatly relieved. Unfortunately, the relief was short-lived as Mac opened the back door and cautiously stepped out to survey the property. Joanna and Kat followed close behind. It had started to rain again, but no one seemed to notice as they focused their light beams on the devastation that surrounded them. Of the five vacation homes, two were nothing more than a pile of matchsticks. The roofs were missing from two other homes and a large oak tree had fallen directly on the house MacGyver and Joanna had been sharing causing it to lean precariously on its footings. Several smaller trees had been uprooted while large branches had been ripped from older trees and thrown haphazardly around the yard. The small sandy beach was washed away and the aluminum canoes and rowboats had been tossed around like toys. Joanna and Kat started moving forward to further investigate, but MacGyver stopped them.

"There's nothing we can do in the dark," he said helplessly. "Let's go back in the house. Kat, do you have a generator?"

"There's one in the garage, but I haven't had a chance to get gas for it. I do have extra flashlights and bottled water, though."

"OK," Mac sighed, running his hand through his wet hair that was now plastered to his head. His well-trained mind had gone into emergency management mode and he began to check off his mental to-do list. "Let's go into the house and call the gas company. I don't smell a leak, but we need to play it safe. Then we'll call your insurance company."

"Don't bother," Joanna emerged from the doorway. "The phone is dead. The lines must be down. I was trying to call home but…" her voice faded and Mac knew she wanted to let her family know she was okay.

"Let's try my cell," he suggested, pulling the phone out from his inside jacket pocket. At least something had managed to stay dry. He turned it on, then raised his flashlight to look at the screen. "Great," he muttered, "no service. A tower must be down." The worried look on Jo's face tugged at his heartstrings.

Once MacGyver was able to convince the women to stay in the house and change out of their wet clothes, he went rummaging in the garage and basement for something to cover the broken windows. He found several assorted pieces of wood as well as some heavy plastic tarps that he firmly secured over the openings. Next on the agenda was to find some form of communication. By now, the wailing sirens of first responders were everywhere as red and white flashing lights danced on the smooth surface of the lake. Mac gingerly made his way across the yard, careful to avoid any downed wires or dangerous debris before heading up the road. At the top of the hill, a large tree lay across the street, a lone police cruiser stood guard and warned people away. MacGyver approached the officer.

"Excuse me," Mac called by way of introduction. "Our phones are down and I was wondering if I could use your radio?" He pulled out his Phoenix Foundation ID for good measure and showed it to the officer.

In minutes his call was patched through to the Chicago field office. After giving instructions for them to contact Joanna's parents as well as Pete and Evelyn, he thanked the officer and headed back to the house to find Joanna and Kat sitting by the fireplace and sipping hot cocoa. He felt like a drowned rat dripping in the doorway and he probably didn't look much better. Kat quickly retrieved two large towels and instructed him to use the guest room to dry off and change. When he emerged looking a little less the worse for wear Kat shoved a mug of warm liquid into his hands and followed him to the fire. All three sat silently, listening to the sounds of crackling wood as it was consumed by the flames.

"What time is it?" Joanna asked quietly, still staring at the fire.

MacGyver glanced at his watch. "It's not even ten."

"It feels like it should be midnight," she responded wearily.

"Well, it wouldn't hurt any of us to get a good night's sleep," Kat pronounced. "We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow. Joanna, you can take the guest room. Mac, I'm sorry but you'll have to sleep on the couch."

"No problem," he replied. His apartment had spoiled him. It had been a while since he spent any quality time on a sofa.

The following morning dawned sunny and seasonably warm. A stark contrast to just twelve hours earlier. MacGyver had slept better than he had expected but not as much as he had hoped. He pulled himself off the lumpy couch and headed for the door, reluctant to see the devastation he knew awaited him in the light of day. He stepped out and once again surveyed his surroundings, awed and humbled by Mother Nature's wrath, yet thankful for her fickleness that had spared Kat's house. As Mac turned and headed toward the lake, he saw Joanna sitting on a picnic table. He could only imagine the sadness and pain she must be feeling. He was about to turn and head back, leaving her to her thoughts, when he remembered her words from the day before: "You tend to run toward things most people would run away from." He yearned to offer her any comfort or solace he could so he continued forward.

"How was your night?" he asked gently, climbing up next to her on the table.

"Pretty lousy," she confessed. "How was yours?"

"About the same."

Joanna laughed quietly and turned to look at him, the expression on her face nothing like what he expected to see. Instead of sadness, anger, or fear he saw only profound peace and serenity.

As if reading the questions dancing in his eyes, Joanna began to speak, her voice calm and sure.

"Yesterday was really a cathartic experience for me," she explained. "I was so upset about Kat selling the resort it never occurred to me that I could lose it in other ways as well." At this point she paused to look around at the storm damage. "I was also so afraid of losing you, but you were there when I needed you. Protecting me. When we were under that table and it sounded like the world was being ripped apart, I realized that you will always be there for me if I need you, no matter how hard I try to push you away," she smiled. "And thanks for contacting my folks. You really didn't have to."

"Yeah, I did," he replied huskily, putting his arm around her shoulders and drawing her close to place a soft kiss on her temple.

"So," Mac cleared his throat, "how do you feel about staying a couple extra days to help get this mess cleaned up?"

"You trying to be a hero again?" Joanna teased, nudging him with her shoulder.

"Nope. Just a friend."