A/N: Short and sweet...a set-up for thing to come!

Possibilities

The day following the dismissal of Raul's case, MacGyver sat at his desk staring at his closed office door deep in thought. His boss thought he was working through the mound of paperwork he had been assigned. His colleagues knew better than to disturb him. And Joanna had an innate sense of knowing when to give him time and space. Unfortunately, that "sense" was apparently attached to a timeframe because by noon her office door closed a little harder and her footsteps in the hall were a little louder. By mid-afternoon, various thunks, thuds, and bangs assaulted the wall they shared. Mac grinned. Time had run out. He ambled next door and leaned casually against the door jamb.

"You beckoned?" he asked Joanna who was typing away at her computer.

"I did?" Her mask of wide-eyed innocence only confirmed how guilty she was.

"Yes. You did." Mac stated as he sat down in a chair across from her.

"Well, you've hardly said a word since we left the courthouse yesterday. I'm worried about you."

MacGyver sighed. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine."

Without warning, Joanna slapped her palms against her desk and stood up fast. All pretense of innocence gone.

"You may be fine, but I'm not!" she exclaimed. "You talked about commitment and marriage. You even tried to propose to me! Yet you shut me out every chance you get! I know something is rattling around that great big brain of yours. Why can't you share it with me?!"

"I don't have everything figured out, yet," he replied, stunned at her uncharacteristic outburst but knowing he deserved it.

"So?" she asked, her voice calmer as she sat back down. "Can't we talk about it together? They say two heads are better than one," she grinned hopefully.

Mac scrubbed his face with his hands and leaned forward, his elbows perched on his knees.

"Remember yesterday when Vang said that a boys and girls club had just closed down?"

"Yeah," she replied, her brows knit in confusion.

"Well, I want to buy it and open it up as Milwaukee's own Challengers Club. That whole mess with Raul yesterday might have been prevented if teens like him had a place like that to go and people to watch out for them. We need to keep as many kids off the street as possible."

"Wow," was all Joanna said as she let out a breath and leaned back in her chair.

To MacGyver, it seemed as if all the oxygen had left the room. His heart pounded and his lungs burned as he waited for her to say something. Anything. Minutes felt like hours and he was just about to tell her to forget he ever mentioned it when she drew in a breath.

"That's quite a commitment," she replied softly.

Now it was Mac's turn to bolt out of his seat in frustration.

"Really?! You're gonna throw the commitment issue in my face about this?!"

To Joanna's credit, she kept her composure and looked up at him confidently, her words strong and sure.

"What I meant is that it's a huge commitment for anyone."

Mollified, MacGyver sat back down.

"So, what's our first step?" she asked.

"What do you mean 'our' first step?" he asked in confusion.

Joanna rolled her eyes before pinning him with an angry glare. "I thought you were done shutting me out!"

"You mean you're on board with this?"

"How can I not be? I think it's a great idea!"

Mac knew she must have as many questions and misgivings as he did, but she refused to voice them and for that he loved her even more. As for himself, he would have to treat this like any mission he had went on for the DXS or Phoenix: Stay focused, remain calm, take it one step at a time.

"I already spoke with Vang and he contacted the realtor. They want to get the property off their hands as soon as possible so we scheduled a walk-through for tonight after work." He looked into her expectant eyes and knew what he had to do. "Do you want to come along?"

"Duh!" she pulled a face before smiling indulgently.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joanna, MacGyver, and Attorney Lee Vang huddled outside the old, brick, two-story structure in a not-so-great part of town as the realtor unlocked the door. Of course, Jo fully understood that such services needed to be in the areas where they could do the most good, but that didn't keep her from holding her purse a little tighter and looking around warily.

As they entered the building, she heard Mac release a relieved sigh. Apparently it was everything he had been expecting it to be. Since up until a few days ago the space had served as a youth center, there was no obvious need for modifications. The realtor also happily explained that everything, including plumbing and electricity, was up to code and ready for immediate occupancy.

The vast majority of the first floor was an open-concept recreation area complete with pool tables, video arcade games, overstuffed chairs and sofas, and even basic exercise equipment. The remaining space included small offices and a modest kitchen. Upstairs was a long corridor flanked on either side by several doors. Behind each door was a small, dormitory-like room with a nightstand and lamp between two twin beds. At either end of the hall was a large, locker room type bathroom complete with showers. This was where kids in dangerous or homeless situations could stay until more appropriate services could be provided.

"Surely it doesn't come with all the furnishings," Joanna observed, more than asked.

The realtor shrugged his shoulders. "We were told to lease it 'as is', so what you see is what you get."

Joanna's eyes grew huge as she caught Mac's attention and mouthed an astonished 'wow'.

After the tour, the trio had dinner at a casual restaurant near the law firm.

"Well, what do you think?" Vang asked.

"I think it's perfect!" Mac replied with more exuberance than Joanna had ever heard from him except when he was playing or watching hockey. She nodded her head in agreement.

"I thought you'd say that," Vang smiled, "So I went ahead and talked some numbers. It's really a very good deal considering everything that's included." The lawyer passed a piece of paper to MacGyver whose excitement suddenly faded. Joanna peered over his shoulder at the numbers and her stomach rebelled.

"You can take occupancy as soon as you can come up with first and last month's rent," the lawyer continued. "Call me when you're ready to seal the deal."

With that, Lee Vang grabbed his briefcase, slid out of the booth and disappeared, leaving Mac and Jo staring at the numbers he had presented.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

MacGyver was lying on his couch, staring up at the ceiling. The digital clock on top of the television read two o'clock in the morning. Every time he closed his eyes, numbers appeared in front of him along with big, fat dollar signs. What had he been thinking? There was no way he could make this happen. Yet Cynthia and Booker Wilson had done it. He just had to come up with a plan, only this time he was gonna need help. He pulled on jeans and a sweatshirt and soon found himself parked in Joanna's driveway. He didn't want to ring the doorbell and wake the entire household, so he dialed her cell phone with his.

"I'm outside. Can we take?" he asked. She had answered the phone on the second ring so chances are he wasn't the only one having a sleepless night.

"I was so stupid!" he exclaimed, jamming his hand through his unruly hair as he collapsed on Jo's small sofa. "All I could think about was swooping in and saving kids from the street. I never considered the cost!"

"There were a lot of things you didn't consider," she added gently, her voice free of censure which he appreciated.

"What are you going to do about your job at the law firm?" Jo asked. "And who's gonna manage and staff the center when you can't be there?"

"I don't know," Mac mumbled, scrubbing his face with both hands. "But none of that will matter if I can't pay the lease."

"Well, how was the original Challengers Club financed?" Joanna asked.

Mac shrugged. "Donations. Fundraisers. Various grants. Loans."

"You have good credit, you should be able to get a loan."

"I doubt that," MacGyver replied slowly.

"Why?" Joanna was now squinting at him.

Mac winced. "I sorta co-signed a loan for Jack Dalton's business and Jack being…Jack…will probably default."

"Oh, Mac," Jo sighed, but quickly recovered. "What about the grants? Where did they come from?"

A slow smile tugged at MacGyver's lips. "For the last several years…from the Phoenix Foundation."

He pulled out his cell phone, ignoring Joanna's raised eyebrow.

"Do you have any idea what time it is?" Pete Thornton hissed into the phone.

"Is that how you answer all your calls?" Mac retorted.

"Ah, MacGyver. I should have known. What is it?"

"I got a favor to ask of you Pete!"