Be There

The hot summer days melted together quickly and it was the end of July before Joanna knew it. Much had been accomplished at Challengers and she was finally able to let go of the concern and worry that had seemed to be her constant companions for the past several months. Evelyn had quickly approved Jo's faculty recommendations and all positions had been filled except for a science teacher, but Joanna wasn't concerned. Much. There was still plenty of time before the fall term began. Aside from occasionally enrolling a new student and preparing for teacher orientation in August, Joanna found herself with extra time on her hands. Time she found herself spending with MacGyver who had wheedled his way into her everyday life. Sharing meals, either at his place or with her parents, had become the norm to the point where Joanna was just as comfortable in his kitchen as her own. It was not unusual to find Mac helping her dad with yard work and outdoor projects as they bonded over their mutual love of duct tape or taking direction from her mom as he assisted with minor indoor projects as well. In addition, they had resumed their air hockey rivalry which resulted in several evenings spent playing, eating pizza, and watching movies. At times, it seemed Joanna couldn't turn around without smacking into his solid form, and she discovered that wasn't a bad thing. Sharing time and conversation with him was incredibly easy, as if she had been doing it all her life. Though their time together was dwindling, Joanna had vowed to herself that she would live in the present and appreciate every moment instead of worrying about whatever the future may hold.

MacGyver and his Phoenix volunteers had completed most of their tasks at Challengers as well. An internal communication system had been installed with each room now having a telephone that connected directly to the security booth and Officer Carl. Not only did this allow for two-way communication, but Carl would be alerted if the phone was simply taken off the hook in an emergency. Surveillance cameras had been mounted in the corridors and all common rooms to record and provide live feed of all activity much like the outdoor cameras. Another bank of monitors had been added to the security office to accommodate the extra video screens. Phoenix engineers were in the final stages of installing and refining a discreet metal detection system at the main entrance, and a new air conditioning unit was scheduled to be installed early next month. With so much accomplished ahead of schedule, MacGyver had extra time to spend at the Pettit Center. Every day the heat refused to relent brought a few more teens to the rink to enjoy the cool environment and take part in hockey drills and practices. The uniforms and equipment Phoenix had promised had arrived and if participation continued at this rate, Mac was confident he'd be able to field a strong team when school began. If he was still around. The more time he spent with the kids, Joanna, and her family, the less excited he became about returning to his life in L.A. and with the Foundation. But that was where he belonged. Wasn't it?

MacGyver had just walked into his apartment and was putting his hockey gear away when his phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hello MacGyver, it's Connie," his friend's sweet voice greeted him. "How are you?"

"Hi Connie. I'm good, thanks. How are you and Pete?"

Connie sighed dramatically before answering. "We're doing alright. We finally have the house fixed up the way we want it. It took a little longer than planned, but you know how those things go. At least it gave Pete something to do."

"Doesn't he have some projects he's working on at Phoenix?"

There was a long silence before she answered. "Unfortunately not. He's only been in the office a couple times since we moved. They say there aren't any suitable assignments for him right now. That's the reason I'm calling you."

"What do you want me to do, Connie? Get myself held prisoner in North Korea?" he teased.

"No, Mac," she chuckled. "I was hoping you could come down and spend some time with him. Come for an afternoon and stay for dinner. You haven't talked face-to-face since the wedding, and I'm not even going to discuss that debacle with Jack Dalton. And please bring Joanna. I really enjoyed meeting her, but we didn't have nearly enough time to get to know one another."

MacGyver couldn't help but smile. "I'm sure she'd like to see you again, too."

"Excellent! I'll call you back soon with all the details."

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The following Sunday afternoon found Joanna and MacGyver engaging in lively, light-hearted conversation with the Thornton's in their new suburban Chicago home. It didn't take long until the men became restless and loaded their fishing gear into Mac's station wagon and headed for a nearby inland lake leaving Connie and Joanna to indulge in some girl-talk.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Connie asked. "I have fresh-squeezed lemonade."

"That sounds fine. I'd love some," Joanna replied politely.

"Come," Connie motioned, "let's sit out on the patio and enjoy this lovely day."

With drinks in hand, the two women settled themselves in cushioned wicker chairs as Joanna willed herself to relax. As much as she liked Pete and Connie, she had only spent time with them once, and she was never able to get totally comfortable in someone else's home. Except MacGyver's. And that troubled her more than she cared to think.

"I must confess," Connie began, breaking into Joanna's private thoughts. "I had an ulterior motive for inviting you here today."

"Oh?"

"Pete needs to tell MacGyver something that will probably upset him."

"Is something wrong with Pete? Is he sick?" Joanna asked anxiously.

"No, dear, nothing like that," Connie replied. "Pete is going to retire from Phoenix. Permanently. He wanted to tell Mac in person."

"Is that why they went fishing?"

"No," Connie sighed. "This is going to be as difficult for Pete to say as it will be for MacGyver to hear. Pete wants to wait until after supper before breaking the news. He's worried about how Mac will react and wanted to spend some quality time with him before telling him.

Joanna frowned as a lump grew in her stomach. She had quickly learned of the special bond Pete and MacGyver shared that went far beyond boss and subordinate and knew this would be a big adjustment for both of them.

Jo struggled for words. "I don't mean to sound rude or ungrateful, but why did you insist that I come, too?"

Connie reached out and took Joanna's hand in hers. "From everything MacGyver has told us about you, and what I saw with my own eyes, it's obvious there is something special between you two."

"No! It's not like that!" Jo insisted as she instinctively pulled her had free from Connie's grip. "We're just friends!"

"Close friends," Connie agreed with a placating smile. "And Pete and I think MacGyver is going to need a friend like you now more than ever."

"But what can I do? How can I help?"

"Just be there for him, honey. Be there when he wants to talk and, more importantly, when he doesn't."

Joanna's inner questions must have shown on her face because, before she knew it, Connie had once again taken her hand.

"Let me explain something about MacGyver. When you strip away those good looks and daring exploits you will find a very gentle soul. One that loves easily, hurts deeply, and takes on far more guilt than it deserves. And when that happens, the only way Mac knows how to deal with it is to turn inward."

Joanna's confusion must have still been evident because Connie continued.

"Has MacGyver told you about Mike?"

"No, he's never mentioned him."

"Actually, 'Mike' is short for 'Michelle'. She, Jack and MacGyver were best friends for the longest time. Several years ago her and Mac were rock climbing and she lost her grip. Before Mac could reach her, her harness broke and she…well, MacGyver took it really hard. Convinced himself he should have been able to save her. He went to an old cabin Pete had and shut himself off from the world for weeks. He wouldn't see anybody. Even refused to answer the phone. Pete was sick with worry. Then last year, when Sam left, he locked himself in his apartment for days. Once again refusing any human contact. Please don't let that happen again. Be there for him whether he wants you there or not. Show him that he's needed. Loved. And most importantly, don't give up on him."

Joanna nodded, still trying to grasp everything Connie had told her when the other woman suddenly stood up.

"Well, the boys will be back shortly. I'd better get supper started. We're having eggplant lasagna. It's one of MacGyver's favorites. Would you care to help me?"

"Sure," Jo replied then smiled. "I'm always looking for new recipes!"

"Especially ones that don't include tofu or bean curd I bet!" The two women laughed as they entered the kitchen.

The men returned shortly before dinnertime.

"I hope you caught enough to feed us all!" Connie teased. "Us womenfolk are counting on you and we're hungry!"

"Sorry, dear," Pete held out his empty hands. "They just weren't biting today."

"Then it's lucky I had a back-up plan. Now both of you go and wash up while Jo and I get dinner on the table."

The meal dragged on for Joanna. She looked around the table at her new friends. Connie was acting as if they had never had this afternoon's conversation. Pete was laughing and joking with MacGyver who looked more at ease than ever before, and then there was her. Jo struggled to choke down bites of what she assumed was a perfectly delicious meal, but all she could think about was the news Mac was going to hear and the fact that she'd be the one left to pick up the pieces. That was if there were any pieces to pick up. Maybe the Thornton's were overreacting. After all, Pete was retiring, not dying. Sure, MacGyver would initially be shocked by the news, but he would get over it. He and Pete would remain good friends and life would go on. With these new thoughts foremost in her mind, Joanna finished her meal with gusto and savored the chocolate gelato Connie served for dessert.

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MacGyver felt guilty leaving Joanna and Connie to clear away and wash the dishes, but the serious look on Pete's face when the older man invited him into the study left him no choice.

"Pete, what's going on?"

"Have a seat, MacGyver." Pete motioned to a black leather sofa before feeling his way to a matching chair across from it. Mac still found it hard to believe his friend was blind.

"There's something I need to tell you, Mac, and I don't want you to get upset or somehow think you had any influence on my decision. I'm retiring from Phoenix. Permanently."

Connie's delicious supper suddenly felt like a rock in the pit of MacGyver's stomach.

"Pete, you can't!" Mac blurted out rising to his feet.

"I can and I am, MacGyver. I probably should have done it a long time ago."

"No Pete, you're still an important asset to the Foundation," Mac protested.

"You mean an asset to you," Pete countered then chuckled. "How many times have I had to pull you out of some pretty tight places?"

"And how many times have I done the same for you?! We're a team, Pete. I became an agent for the DXS because of you. I followed you to Phoenix. You just can't leave!"

"Mac, you heard Connie. They don't have any assignments for me. Well, except for watching out for you. Science and technology are moving faster than ever. Too fast for an old guy like me to keep up with. The Board has made it clear that they want to take the Foundation in a different direction."

"So they're railroading you into retirement?!"

"No Mac," Pete said firmly as he stood up and turned toward his friend's voice. "You need to know that I made this decision completely on my own. Nobody forced me to do anything. Understand?"

"Yeah," Mac answered grudgingly. "But what am I supposed to do now?" MacGyver winced at how selfish and petty he sounded.

"You're gonna keep doing what you're doing. You're young! You have a lot of years and a lot of adventures ahead of you. Follow your path, just like I'm following mine."

"I'm gonna miss you, Pete."

"Hey, I'll still be here. We just won't be working together. Besides, you spent half your time on the other side of the world and I hardly saw you anyway. Now we can go fishing more often!"

"Sure thing, Pete," Mac smiled sadly, hoping his voice didn't convey the emptiness he felt inside.

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Joanna arrived later than usual for work the next morning. With all but one faculty member hired and her paperwork finally down to a manageable pile, her sense of urgency was lacking. The fact that she tossed and turned most of the night didn't help. It had been a long ride back from Chicago. She had tried to make small talk with MacGyver. She talked about hockey, her need for a science teacher, the weather, more hockey, but her monologue landed on deaf ears, or at least a mute mouth. Connie had been right. Mac was upset and withdrawing from the world.

"Joanna? Is that you?" Evelyn called from her office.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late," she said as she entered the small room and stifled a yawn.

"Oh, don't go worrying about that. You know we have loose hours during the summer."

Joanna nodded lazily.

"I wanted to tell you that MacGyver called in sick this morning."

"You talked to him?!" Joanna didn't bother to hide the excitement in her voice.

"No," Evelyn replied, drawing out the one syllable word. "He left a message on my answering machine in the middle of the night."

Jo sighed. Well, at least he had talked to…something.

"Is there something I should know about?" Evelyn asked.

Joanna knew she should say that everything was fine, or that it was MacGyver's story to tell, but she was tired and done with diplomacy. She flopped down in one of the visitor's chairs in front of her boss's desk.

"Mac and I had dinner at the Thornton's yesterday," she began, choosing to ignore Evelyn's raised eyebrows. "Pete told MacGyver he's retiring and Mac took it pretty hard. He didn't say one word the entire drive home. I was hoping he'd have come to terms with it overnight, but I guess he needs more time."

"Well it's a good thing we're ahead of schedule, then," Evelyn declared. "I'll let him know to take all the time he needs." She turned back to her computer and Joanna headed back to her own office.

By noon Joanna could stand it no longer. She picked up the phone and dialed MacGyver's number. She got his machine. She hated talking to those things so she kept it simple.

"Mac, it's Jo. I need to know you're OK. Call me."

She had no sooner hung up than the phone rang. How could he have dialed that quickly?

"Hello?" she answered anxiously.

"Hello Jo, it's Connie."

Joanna let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"Hi Connie."

"How's MacGyver doing?"

"He didn't say a word after we left your place and he left a message saying he's not coming into work today," Jo reported.

"Oh, dear, we were afraid this would happen. Remember what I told you yesterday, Joanna. Be there for him. Don't let him shut you out."

"Don't worry, Connie. Everything will be fine," Jo promised before ending the call, silently thinking that her new friend leaned toward the melodramatic.

When it was finally time to go home, Joanna decided to stop by Mac's place since he hadn't called her back. She pulled up to the curb, parked in front of the Nomad, and looked up at his front window. The shade was pulled down tight. He never pulled the shade. Concern began to niggle at her. She went up to his apartment and knocked on the door. Nothing. She knocked harder and called his name. Still nothing. He was okay, wasn't he? Not sure what to do, she decided to go home and hope that things would return to normal tomorrow.

Tuesday brought the same results. MacGyver had left a message that he wouldn't be in, Joanna called him three times always getting his machine, and Connie called for an update and to tell Jo to 'be there' for him.

"Now is the time when he needs you most!" Connie insisted.

"But how can I be there for him when he is doing everything he can to keep me and everyone else away?"

"You're a bright young woman. You'll think of something." Connie sounded so confident. Joanna had her doubts.

When Wednesday arrived with no work from MacGyver, Jo knew she needed to do something. Honestly, how long could a grown man pout?! Even groundhogs poked their head out once a year! She slipped out of work early and went home to throw some things in a duffel bag, or her 'Mac Sack' as she thought of it, told her mom she may be staying at his place for a day or two and not to worry, and then headed to his apartment. She parked in front of the Nomad which hadn't appeared to have moved since Monday. The window shade remained drawn.

Joanna knocked on MacGyver's door and called his name to no avail. Refusing to accept defeat, she sought out the custodian with the excuse that she had lost her key. Thankfully the man wasn't too nosey and gave her an extra key without question. Deciding to give Mac one last chance, she knocked and called out to him one more time. Nothing.

"I have a key and I'm coming in," she warned him. Still no response. She hesitated, unsure of how to deal with him now that she was here. Perhaps a bit of humor and sass would diffuse his self-induced pity party.

Jo opened the door to find Mac lying on his couch staring up at the ceiling.

"So the rumors are true. You are alive," she quipped.

"Go home, Joanna," he said in a gravelly voice that expected to be obeyed.

"And he speaks!" she gasped, sighing when he didn't respond. She dropped her bag on the floor by the coffee table where she took a seat.

"You might as well give it up, Mac," she announced. "I'm not leaving until you're back among the living again."

MacGyver rolled his head her way. His eyes were dull, his face drawn and expressionless.

Joanna cocked an eyebrow and he returned his gaze to the ceiling.

Sighing inwardly, Jo got up and began to peruse his video tape collection.

"Aha!" she exclaimed, pulling a tape off the shelf. "I've been wanting to see this since that tornado so rudely interrupted us!" She turned on the TV, put the tape in the player, and settled in a nearby chair to watch the 1980 U.S. hockey Olympic gold medal game. By the end of the contest, Joanna's stomach grumbled and Mac still hadn't spoken to her. She headed to the kitchen and made herself a peanut butter sandwich and grabbed a yogurt.

"Want anything to eat?" she called to MacGyver. Of course there was no answer. Okay. Time for her secret weapon. If this didn't make him talk she didn't know what would.

"Lucky for you," she proclaimed as she returned to the living room, "I brought a tape of the best movie ever made…Dirty Dancing!" Mac swung his long legs off the couch and headed for the refrigerator. Progress! He snatched a yogurt and apple, turned around, and headed for his bedroom, closing his door with a bang.

Terrific!

"Don't worry about me, Mac!" Joanna called. "I'll be just fine out here on the couch!" She sighed, started the movie, and sank down on the piece of furniture MacGyver had just vacated. The cushions were still warm. She folded her legs underneath her, bit into her sandwich, and lost herself in the story playing out on the television.

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It was the wee hours of Thursday morning when MacGyver poked his head out of his bedroom door. It was a sad day when a grown man had to hide in his own room. Then again, he supposed he was a pretty sad man. He walked to the living room only to find Joanna curled up in the corner of his couch sound asleep. His heart melted at the sight as he went to the closet, retrieved a blanket, and gently draped it over her. She hadn't deserved his surliness last night, or this past week for that matter. She had come to him because she was his friend. She had stayed with him because she cared. He went to the front window and quietly raised the shade before returning to his room and falling into a deep, dreamless slumber.

Hours later MacGyver headed for his kitchen only to find Joanna already up and making breakfast.

"Hope you're hungry," she said gaily. "I made pancakes. Well, at least I tried. You don't have all the traditional ingredients," she smiled good-naturedly.

How had he come to deserve this?

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, jamming his fingers through his hair.

"No problem. I managed to improvise." The sassiness from last night replaced with genuine friendliness.

"I mean I'm sorry for everything. For how I've acted since I talked with Pete. For shutting you and everyone else out."

Joanna shrugged. "You just needed some time and space to work things out in your head. I'm the same way." Her smile was gentle and her eyes were soft.

"Thanks for that," MacGyver replied. "And thanks for not giving up on me, even when I was a little stubborn."

"A little?" Joanna laughed.

"Okay, a lot," Mac amended, allowing a small smile to form on his lips.

She handed him a plate piled high with food.

"Here. I bet you haven't had a decent meal in days."

He had just taken a huge bite of pancakes when his phone rang. Joanna held up her hand to indicate she would answer it.

"MacGyver's."

"Yeah, it's me. What's up, Evelyn?" he heard Joanna ask.

"Did you call the police?" He stopped chewing and swallowed hard.

"We'll be right there!"

"What's wrong?" he asked as he followed Joanna out the door.

"When Evelyn got to work today she found the school had been vandalized."

MacGyver and Joanna arrived at Challengers to find a number of police cruisers in the parking lot. Evelyn had just finished giving an officer her statement as they approached.

"What happened?" MacGyver demanded.

"See for yourself," Evelyn said as she led them around to the side of the building. Black spray paint marred the old brick.

Joanna tilted her head as she studied the damage. "Doesn't look like gang graffiti to me. Looks more like tagging."

"I agree," Mac concurred. "Appears to be artfully arranged, though wrongly placed, initials of some sort."

"That's what the police said," Evelyn told him. "They're looking for evidence now but doubt they'll find anything."

Joanna turned to MacGyver. "What about the surveillance cameras?"

"We don't have any facing the building so it won't show whoever did this in action," MacGyver replied. "But we should be able to see them approaching and get a time stamp."

"And how are we supposed to clean this up?" Evelyn asked crisply.

"Don't worry," Mac assured her. "I have a secret recipe that will take care of this."

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MacGyver, Joanna, and two police officers gathered around a video monitor in the school's small security office to watch surveillance footage of the night before. The small numbers in the corner of the screen indicated the incident took place at 4:12am. Two figures dressed in black with baseball caps pulled low approached the building. Due to the ball caps and angle of the camera it was impossible to make out their faces. They ran the tape at regular speed, slow motion, and frame-by-frame but were still unable to recognize the culprits before one of the officers confiscated the cassette as evidence.

Once the police officers finished processing the scene, they gave MacGyver the go-ahead to clean up the graffiti. He wanted to get it off as soon as possible to avoid unwanted attention. Armed with graffiti remover from a nearby hardware store and an old power washer he found in the school's storage room, Mac was soon spraying away the ugly paint. Movement in his peripheral vision caught his attention.

"So that's your secret recipe?" Joanna teased, pointing to the gallon jugs of chemicals. "I didn't even know they made that stuff."

Mac smiled and stepped back to inspect the results.

"It looks great!" Jo praised.

"It's still wet. There may still be some paint residue that will show when it dries. I can take care of that tomorrow."

Joanna stood shifting her weight from one foot to the other as if she was nervous. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, anything. You know that," Mac replied gently, wondering what she had in mind.

"Could you drive me back to your place so I can get my stuff? We left in such a hurry I didn't even grab my purse."

"No problem. Let me put this stuff away and we'll go."

Upon arriving at his apartment, Joanna quickly gathered her things and prepared to leave, but Mac blocked the doorway.

"Listen," he said, placing his hands on her shoulders and kneading them gently. "I meant what I said earlier. Thanks for sticking with me while I worked things out."

"That's what friends are for, right?" She looked up at him with her big brown innocent eyes that he could so easily get lost in.

"Right," he replied huskily. "Let me walk you out," he offered, not eager to part company quite yet. He expected her to protest or resist, but to his surprise she easily agreed.

They were walking through the small lobby as the mailman was making his deliveries.

"Hey MacGyver!" the uniformed man called. "Wanna come and empty your box?"

"Sorry Ernie," Mac called back as he strode to the mailboxes. "I've been kinda tied up lately."

"No problem, man. Just didn't want you to miss out on any important junk mail!"

Mac gave Ernie a friendly pat on the shoulder and met Joanna at the door, glancing at the envelopes in his hand. Suddenly his jaw tightened and his heart fell as he saw a familiar envelope.

"Mac, what is it?" Joanna's voice was laced with concern.

"Ah, nothing," he replied. "I just realized I have a lot of stuff to catch up on. Drive safe and I'll see ya tomorrow, OK?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied and headed out the building to her car.

Back in his apartment MacGyver tore open the envelope with the Phoenix Foundation logo on the front. He knew it would come eventually. On the top of the letterhead, in bold print, were the words Six Month Review – Final Notice. There was no more putting it off. If he wanted to keep his job he had to get out to L.A. for his performance evaluation.