The Innocent

The June sunlight poured through the plate-glass window, creating an ethereal glow around Joanna who was busily packing her meager personal belongings into the oversized box MacGyver had brought her. In the waning minutes of her employment at the law firm, she chatted easily with Mike Harlow, Lee Vang, and Geena the Receptionist who had gathered around her now-empty desk to share their farewells and good wishes as Mac casually leaned against the door jamb taking in the scene.

"It's been great working with you, Jo," Mike said. "If you ever get bored you can come on back and help me catch up on the data entry I never get around to doing."

"Thanks for the invitation, Mike, but I think the kids will keep me pretty busy both at Challengers as well as the high school," she laughed and Mike pretended to pout before giving her a peck on the cheek and heading out the door, stopping to shake MacGyver's hand.

"You got a good one there," Mike told him. "Be sure to treat her right."

"Count on it," Mac replied with a smile.

Lee Vang was the next to speak.

"You'll be missed around here," he told her. "And remember, if you ever need legal counsel, I'm just a phone call away and more than happy to do pro bono work for families in the community."

"Thanks, Lee. That means a lot to me, and Mac as well." She gave him a brief hug before he, too, headed to the door, shook MacGyver's hand and walked back to his office.

That left Geena.

"Oh, girl, this place won't be the same without you," she lamented as she embraced Joanna and squeezed her tight.

"I'm gonna miss you, too," Jo replied, "but you know where Challengers is and we're always looking for volunteers."

"I may just have to check that place out one of these days," Geena agreed. "Now I expect to be the first to know when that man of yours over there finally pops the question. Even if I'm dead in my grave!"

Joanna's easy laugh made MacGyver's heart soar.

"I can't promise you'll be the first, but you'll definitely be in the top five!" she responded.

Hmmm. Jo really believed they were on the road to something permanent, and for the first time he could remember that excited him instead of tempting him to turn and run the other way. The phone in the lobby rang and Geena gave Joanna one last hug before hurrying off to answer it. Finally it was just the two of them.

"Any regrets?" Mac asked as he walked further into the room, hands jammed in the front pockets of his khaki pants.

"None," Jo beamed up at him. "Thank you for encouraging me to do this. I think you're starting to know me better than I know myself!"

MacGyver grinned as he glanced around the room.

"I thought Hernandez would come by to see you," he commented.

"I saw him earlier today. Wished me well and offered to be a reference," Jo said in a clipped tone.

Mac knew there was not much love lost between Joanna and her boss, hence her willingness to leave her current position. Before he could reply, Jo's desk phone trilled and she frowned, no doubt wondering who would be calling just as she was preparing to leave...for good.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey Cynthia, what's up?"

There was an uncomfortable silence while Joanna listened intently before her gaze caught MacGyver's and conveyed a sense of urgent concern bordering on panic.

"We're on our way," she said firmly before hanging up.

Mac scooped up the box that Joanna had packed and followed her out of the office and down the hall before speaking.

"What's up?" he asked as they pushed through the main doors and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

Jo shook her head and kept walking. "It was hard to make everything out because of the background noise, but it has something to do with the Talbot kids. Cynthia said the police and someone from social services are there for them."

"What?!"

"That's all I could understand," Joanna shrugged helplessly.

With lengthened strides they quickly arrived at their respective vehicles. Mac stowed the box he was carrying in the back of the Jeep and peeled out of the parking lot with Jo close behind. Davey and Suzy held a special place in his heart. Especially Suzy whom he had escorted to the Daddy/Daughter dance at her school and who insisted on calling him 'Daddy Mac'. His stomach roiled at the thought of anything bad happening to those two kids.

Upon arriving at Challengers, MacGyver barreled through the front door stopping only long enough to survey the recreation room. All the teens were actively engaged in various activities, unfazed by any disruption the yet unknown situation may have caused. The only sign that something was wrong was little Suzy, with her brown bobbed hair so like Joanna's, sitting in the corner Frog had commandeered for himself, hugging the long-suffering dog tight. Davey, with disheveled dark blond hair and an untamed cowlick, stood watch over her while a female police officer guarded them both. Tamping down his desire to comfort and protect the children, Mac strode into Cynthia's office where Joanna was already witnessing a heated conversation between the club's co-director and a conservatively dressed middle-aged woman who could only be from social services.

"And I'm telling you that Challengers is a certified emergency shelter! On top of that, Davey and Suzy are registered members of the club and have every right to be here!" Cynthia insisted, sending the other woman a scathing look.

"You don't understand," the social worker persisted.

"Oh, I understand all too well!" Cynthia shot back.

"Okay ladies, settle down," MacGyver interrupted. "Are you all right?" he asked, turning to Cynthia.

"I'm fine, but-"

Mac held up his hand to keep her from saying more as he turned to the other woman.

"You must be from social services?"

"Yes. My name is Mrs. Hawley. May I ask what business you have barging into this private consultation?" she asked haughtily.

Mac swallowed the retort that was on the tip of his tongue and took a calming breath.

"Name's MacGyver. I'm the director of Challengers Club and would like some answers about what's going on here."

Mrs. Hawley sighed before launching into her explanation. "Late this morning, the next door neighbor of the Talbot family called the police when she discovered the babysitter passed out on the couch from an apparent drug overdose and no sign of the children. The officers on the scene found the mother's work number and address next to the phone as well as that of Challengers and went to the motel to arrest her once the EMT's arrived and stabilized the sitter."

"Arrest her?!" Mac nearly bellowed. "On what grounds?!"

"Two counts of child neglect and abandonment to begin with," Mrs. Hawley sniffed in satisfaction.

"That's ridiculous!"

"They were just doing their jobs, Mr. MacGyver, and I was called in to collect the children."

"What's gonna happen to them?" Mac asked, regaining his composure.

"They'll be taken down to Child Protective Services and placed with an emergency foster family no later than tomorrow morning."

"That's not acceptable," Mac stated firmly.

"That's the way the system works, Mr. MacGyver," the social worker retorted.

"Well the 'system' stinks!"

Before Mac could continue, Joanna stepped up beside him and lightly touched his forearm, halting any would-be tirade. Normally not one to raise his voice, all bets were off when someone close to him was threatened in any way.

"Mrs. Hawley," Jo began in a placating tone, "last year Mr. MacGyver and I had papers drawn up to grant us emergency temporary custody of our clients' children. I just called the law firm and confirmed that our names are still registered with CPS as emergency foster parents. Since Davey and Suzy are already comfortable with us, perhaps we could streamline the process and have you let us take temporary custody of them."

"Well, of course I will have to verify that information and it's not standard operating procedure," Mrs. Hawley replied icily, "but if it is, indeed, legitimate you may have custody until a more permanent situation can be found."

"Thank you," Jo replied sweetly, unfazed by the other woman's tone. She then turned to address MacGyver.

"I called Lee Vang. He's agreed to represent Jill Talbot and will meet you down at the police station."

Mac looked at Jo then out the office window to where the brother and sister remained in the corner.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of them," she answered in response to his unspoken question, and it was all he could do not to take her into his arms and show her how much her thoughtful actions and support meant to him, but he thought it best to refrain given the steely gaze leveled on them by the stern social worker.

XXXXX

MacGyver, Lee Vang, and Jill Talbot sat on hard metal chairs surrounding an equally hard metal table in the dank interview room at the local police precinct. Jill was still wearing her uniform from the motel where she worked as a housekeeper. Her eyes were bloodshot and streaks of mascara marred her gaunt cheeks, evidence of the tears she had shed since her arrest.

"We're here to help you, Jill," Lee began, "but you need to tell us everything that led up to where we are today. Can you do that for me?"

"I...I can't afford a real lawyer like you, Mr. Vang," she sobbed.

"It's okay," Mac assured her. "Lee does pro bono work for Challengers. Now tell us what happened."

"I worked the breakfast shift at the diner this morning like I always do. When I stopped home to change clothes, the neighbor lady who babysits Davey and Suzy wasn't feeling well and left."

"Hold on," Lee interrupted. "Which neighbor lady is this?"

"She lives across the street and offered to watch the kids for free this summer. Her husband died last year and she said it would make her feel useful again," Jill hiccupped.

Lee nodded, encouraging the woman to continue. "I didn't know what to do because I had to get to my job at the motel and there was no one to watch my babies so I called my sister to stay with them."

"Are you aware that your sister is a drug addict?" Lee asked gently.

"Yes, but she's been clean for almost a year. I thought she'd be fine with the children otherwise I never would've called her!"

"Why didn't you just bring them to Challengers?" Mac asked.

"You and Challengers have done so much for my family already, I don't want to take advantage of your services."

"But that's what we're there for," MacGyver insisted.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I was just upset and not thinking straight." This brought another onslaught of tears. "What's gonna happen to my babies?"

"Joanna and I are registered emergency foster parents. We'll take care of them until everything gets straightened out."

"I can't ask you to do that! How will I ever repay you?"

"We can talk about that later," Mac told her, not wanting to upset her any more than she already was. "Now you just listen to Mr. Vang and do what he tells you. Everything will be fine."

Jill offered the two men a watery smile before a guard entered and led her back to the holding cell.

Mac sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. "So what happens now?" he asked Lee.

The lawyer glanced at his watch and frowned. "The courts are closed for the weekend. Ms. Talbot will be held here until her arraignment on Monday at which time I'm going to ask that all charges be dismissed."

"Do you think the judge will agree to that?"

"It's hard to say, but so far the prosecution has a very weak case, so that's in our favor. You and Joanna just make sure those kids stay safe and leave the legal stuff to me, okay?" Vang smiled and shook MacGyver's hand before the two men went their separate ways.

When Mac returned to Challengers, he immediately sought out his new charges. He found Davey sitting cross-legged in an overstuffed chair immersed in a book about dinosaurs while Suzy was carefully creating a finger paint masterpiece under Jo's supervision.

"Look what I made Daddy Mac!" the little girl called from across the room.

MacGyver made his way over to the newspaper-covered table to examine her creation.

"It's a picture of all of us!" she proclaimed happily. "See, there's Mommy, and Davey and me and you and Ms. Joanna!"

"That's great, sweetheart! But you need to wipe that blob off before it gets on your hands."

Suzy immediately frowned and Joanna shot him a you-should-know-better scowl.

"That's not a blob," the girl protested. "That's Frog!"

"Of course it is!" Mac replied quickly, trying to pry his foot out of his mouth. "I was just teasing you!"

Relief flooded him when the little girl giggled. "Here," she said, thrusting the paper toward him. "You can hang it in your office!"

"That sounds like a great idea! Ms. Joanna, would you like to help me?" he asked, hoping she would pick up on what he was really trying to say.

"Sure," she immediately agreed before grabbing another large piece of blank paper and addressing Suzy. "Here sweetie, why don't you make a painting for your mom this time?"

Suzy shrugged and wordlessly dipped her fingers into the mushy paint and began drawing as if she hadn't a care in the world.

Once secluded in his office, MacGyver told Joanna everything that had happened with Jill.

"I hope Lee is right," she said. "There's no way those charges should stick! Jill's a great mom!"

"I don't get why she's the criminal in this when it's all her sister's fault," Mac groaned.

"Unfortunately, I saw this type of situation more than once when I was working in the correctional facility. A parent can be prosecuted for leaving their children with a less-than-competent caregiver even if they don't realize it."

Mac was about to voice his protest but decided to save his energy and instead asked, "What did I miss on this end?"

"After you left, Cynthia and I asked the kids to tell us what happened. They said they were watching TV when their mom left for her second job and when the show ended they wanted to play with their aunt. When they couldn't wake her up, they got bored and came to Challengers. Their presence didn't raise any red flags because they're here so often anyway."

MacGyver jammed his fingers through his hair. "Man, talk about a mole hill turning into a mountain."

"Tell me about it," Jo commiserated. "Anyway, Cynthia and I talked with them and explained their mom wasn't feeling well and that they would be staying with you and me for a 'fun' weekend so their mom could rest."

"Well then, I better get the kids back to my place before Mrs. Hawley finds out I kept them up past their bedtime," Mac smirked. "Wanna come by in the morning for pancakes?"

"Um, sure," she replied softly, her eyes downcast.

Mac tucked his finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I just said something wrong. What is it?"

"Nothing," she said, jerking her head away. "I just thought we were in this together. You know you don't have to do your 'hero' stuff alone anymore."

"Sorry, force of habit. Can you forgive me?" he asked, eyebrow quirked.

She nodded.

"How about we stop by your place on the way so you can pick up some things?"

She looked up at him sheepishly. "While you were gone I called my mom and she packed a bag for me and dropped it off. I'm good to go."

For the first time that day, MacGyver's world slowed and his attention was solely focused on the strong, beautiful woman in front of him. "Thank you," he said before he dipped his head and found her lips with his. He kept the kiss soft and warm and, by necessity, all too short.

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After leaving Challengers, MacGyver stopped at the Talbot home where he and Joanna helped the children each pack a small bag for the weekend before heading to his townhouse. He had barely unlocked the door before the brother and sister scampered across the threshold to inspect their new surroundings.

"How do you expect us to play hide-and-seek in here?" Davey demanded, arms folded across his chest.

"So much for open-concept architecture," Joanna snickered.

"Where are the bedrooms?" Suzy asked, ignoring her brother's concern.

"There's only one bedroom. Upstairs," Mac informed her.

"Where are we all gonna sleep?" she asked with a huff.

Jo sent MacGyver a bemused look and watched him squirm as he tried to figure out the answer.

"Well...I figure you and Ms. Joanna can sleep in the bed upstairs and Davey and I will bunk down here."

"Why do they get the bed," the young boy complained.

"Because they're ladies and we, as gentleman, need to make sure they are comfortable."

"Suzy ain't no lady, she's my sister!" Davey exclaimed.

Mac looked like a drowning man on dry land and it was all Jo could do to keep from laughing out loud. However, not wanting the battle of the sexes to escalate, she quickly altered the solution.

"How about Suzy and I take the bed and you and Mac can pitch a tent in the backyard and pretend you're on a camp out?"

"But I wanna go camping, too!" the little girl cried.

Joanna groaned and covered her face with her hands. She could only imagine the goofy pay-back grin on MacGyver's face and refused to meet his gaze.

"There's plenty of room for the three of us in my tent," Mac assured Suzy. "That is, unless Joanna wants to join us."

This time she did look him in the eye and pulled a face before grabbing her bag and heading up the spiral staircase. "Not me! I'll be very happy all alone in this great big comfy bed," she proclaimed.

With the sleeping arrangements settled, at least for one night, they sat down to a late supper after which Mac put up the tent while the children bathed and got ready for bed. It was almost midnight by the time Joanna crawled into MacGyver's bed and snuggled underneath the covers. The mattress was firm and the sheets smelled fresh. How often did Mac actually sleep in his bed anyway? She knew he had an affinity for couches and had always chalked it up to being part of his loveable quirkiness. But what if it was more than that? What if he got lonely sleeping in an empty bed night after night and crashed on the sofa so he wouldn't have to face that particular demon? A pang of sadness stabbed her heart just as sleep claimed her.

Joanna slowly opened her eyes. How long had she been asleep? Minutes? Hours? It was impossible to tell, but the one thing she knew for certain was that she was not alone. Rolling over and raising herself up on one elbow she squinted into the darkness to find MacGyver standing at the foot of the bed.

"What's wrong? Are the kids okay?" She was suddenly wide awake.

"Relax," he whispered. "Everything's fine. The kids are sleeping on the couch."

"Why?"

"Suzy bailed on us after thirty minutes insisting she had seen a bear. About an hour later, Davey went into the house for a drink of water and never came back, apparently succumbing to the comfort of the couch. They just don't make kids like they used to."

"What about you?"

"I was only roughing it for them," Mac replied, then nodded toward the empty side of the bed. "I was kinda hoping you'd be willing to share."

Joanna silently answered by pulling back the unused covers, allowing MacGyver to slip into bed. She swore he was asleep before his head even hit the pillow, but she stayed awake much longer listening to his soft, rhythmic breathing and enjoying the weight and warmth of his body next to hers. The next time she awoke, rays of sunlight were streaming through the skylight overhead and a small raucous had erupted downstairs.

"I want my mommy!" Suzy wailed loudly.

"Don't be such a crybaby!" Davey shouted back.

"I'm not a crybaby!" Suzy protested in return.

Mac bolted out of bed and down the stairs before Joanna regained enough consciousness to sit up.

"Knock it off, you two," she heard him say in a calm but firm voice.

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After assuring Suzy that she would see her mother soon and convincing Davey not to call his sister names, MacGyver went into the kitchen to whip up a batch of his world famous pancakes while the siblings watched Saturday morning cartoons. Joanna soon joined them, already showered and dressed for the day, but the dark circles under her eyes told him she must have had a restless night. A twinge of guilt shot through him as he recalled the night before. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept so soundly. Just lying next to Jo had been like a soothing balm to his soul.

"You're letting them eat in front of the TV?" she asked behind a yawn.

"Good morning to you, too," Mac grinned.

"Sorry. Good morning," she mumbled.

"I keep forgetting you're not a morning person," he apologized as he pulled a kitchen chair away from the table for her to plop down in.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Jo asked once they had both taken several bites of their breakfast.

"I thought we'd all go to Challengers. You need to pick up your car since you left it there yesterday and Cynthia deserves a break."

"Sounds like a plan," she agreed.

After putting away the breakfast dishes, Mac showered and dressed while Joanna wrangled the kids and got them ready for the day. When they arrived at Challengers they found one group of teens in the middle of a heated pick-up basketball game while another group tried their hand at street hockey. Inside the club, members were playing table games, working out on the exercise equipment or simply chatting and laughing amongst themselves. Davey quickly found the dinosaur book he had been reading the day before and buried himself in its pages while Suzy made a beeline for the corner where Frog, up until now, slept peacefully. Joanna followed MacGyver to his office where he quickly placed a call to Lee Vang.

"Any news?" she asked after he hung up.

"No," Mac sighed. "He said we won't know anything until after the initial court appearance on Monday."

"So we just have to wait," Jo frowned.

MacGyver went to stand behind her and began massaging her shoulders.

"I know it's frustrating, but we don't have a choice," he said before burying his face in the curve of her neck, taking in her sweetness. A soft knock on the door interrupted him.

"Go away," he groaned, not willing to move an inch.

The knock came again and Joanna eased out of his grasp with an apologetic smile. "You probably should answer that since we are at work."

With a heavy sigh Mac opened the door and looked down to find Suzy and Davey looking up at him.

"We're bored," they informed him in unison.

Of course they were bored. They were the youngest members of the club and few teens wanted to spend their time at Challengers babysitting. It was dumb thinking on his part to expect them to spend the entire day here.

"I just remembered I have some errands to run," Jo announced, stepping up beside him. "I could use a couple helpers. What do you say?"

"I wanna come! Mommy says I'm the bestest helper in the whole world!" Suzy proclaimed.

Davey rolled his eyes. "I guess it beats sitting around here all day," he replied flatly.

Mac wasn't sure if Joanna truly had errands or not, but he sincerely appreciated her efforts to distract the children. She grabbed her purse and shot him a bright smile as if she had read his thoughts before herding the kids out the door.

MacGyver sequestered himself in his office for the rest of the morning. With Joanna now working full-time at Challengers for the summer, he figured he would use this time to revamp the schedule. After an hour of frustrating confusion he was seriously thinking about leaving this particular task for Cynthia, or perhaps even Joanna herself. Coordinating high level security for visiting foreign dignitaries or developing a secret reconnaissance mission in a hostile Middle Eastern country was a piece of cake compared to working out a weekly schedule with a cast of ever-changing volunteers. Not quite ready to admit defeat, he decided to clear his head. He shot a round of pool with Raul before heading outside where he demonstrated the finer points of street hockey to a small group of boys and played a little one-on-one b-ball with some of the newer members. The Talbots might be the youngest members of the club, but Mac would happily admit to being the oldest!

Back in his office, he put in another couple hours of work and actually had a somewhat complete schedule to show for it. By mid-afternoon, a number of adult volunteers were on duty and he was anxious to see how Jo and the kids were doing so he collected Frog and headed home. What he saw when he turned the Jeep into his driveway made his heart ache in the most wonderful way. Joanna was kneeling on the grass between Suzy and Davey, their hands digging in the narrow strip of dirt between the house and walkway which had probably once been a flower garden and would be again if the flat of colorful petunias sitting on the front step was any indication. Was this what other men felt when they returned home to their wife and children? A wave of love and contentment washed over him as he slowly climbed from the car. Frog wiggled past him before awkwardly scampering to the backyard, presumably to avoid Suzy's strangling hugs, and it was the little girl who first acknowledged his presence.

"Look, Daddy Mac! We're makin' a garden!"

"I can see that," he called back happily.

As he got closer to the little domestic scene, he noticed that Joanna had put Davey in charge of digging holes while she helped Suzy release the plants from their plastic containers and place them in the dirt, carefully burying their roots.

"You're doing great, keep it up," Jo encouraged them as she slowly rose to her feet and made her way to MacGyver.

"So this was the 'errand' you had to run earlier?" he asked for only her to hear.

"I've had the idea in the back of my mind for awhile and today seemed like the perfect opportunity. I hope you don't mind."

"Not a chance," he assured her.

"But you're gonna have to remember to water them every now and again," she instructed.

"Don't worry," Mac said with a wicked grin. "I'll put Frog in charge of that."

Joanna playfully swatted his shoulder just as the children announced they had completed their task.

"How does it look, Daddy Mac?" Suzy asked.

"It looks perfect. Every time I see the flowers I'll think of you."

Suzy smiled and ran to wrap her arms around his waist, grubby hands and all.

"Why don't you go in and wash up and we'll all go out to dinner to celebrate the new garden," Mac suggested and was met with a chorus of cheers.

Dressed in clean clothes with freshly scrubbed hands, the foursome were soon seated at a table at their favorite Italian restaurant. They had ordered two pizzas to accommodate everyone's taste and once they were served, there was no shortage of opinions, especially when it came to MacGyver's half of one of the pies.

"Ew! What's that?!" Davey asked, wrinkling his nose.

"It's pineapple," Mac laughed, holding out a piece to the boy. "Want some?"

"No way!"

"Why do you have so many veggies on your pizza?" Suzy asked him, truly bewildered. "Are you being punished?"

"No. I like veggies," he answered simply, which caused the little girl to shake her head in dismay before biting into her own piece.

Armed with leftovers in Styrofoam carry-out containers that would be tomorrow's lunch, they left the restaurant to find dark storm clouds hovering in the western sky. MacGyver checked the weather report as soon as they arrived home and informed Joanna that several strong storm squalls would be passing through during the night. While not looking forward to dealing with potentially frightened children, the wild weather did make sleeping arrangements incredibly easy: Everyone in the household piled onto Mac's bed, including Frog. Sleep was intermittent at best as the occupants dozed until a loud clap of thunder would awaken them. Finally, near dawn, the last line of storms rumbled away over Lake Michigan allowing exhaustion and fear to give way to peaceful slumber.

Hours later, Mac awoke gasping for air. At some point, Suzy had rolled over, her arm laying across his windpipe. Moving gingerly to relieve the pressure yet not wake the girl, he laid back and listened to the lingering rain fall in a steady rhythm against the roof. Joanna, Davey and Suzy still slept, their faces slightly flushed and serene, while soft snores emanated from the bulldog on the foot of the bed. Oh, how easily he could get used to waking up to a scene like this every day for the rest of his life. The sudden ring of the telephone shattered the dreamy peacefulness. MacGyver rolled out of bed and jogged down the stairs hoping to quiet the phone before it woke anyone else.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice still raspy from sleep.

Hey, Mac! Sorry to disturb you on a Sunday morning." It was Lee Vang.

"No problem. What's up?" Mac asked quietly so as not to disturb the still-sleeping trio upstairs.

"I'm preparing for Jill Talbot's arraignment tomorrow and was wondering if you and Joanna could have the kids there. It'd be even better if you could also get Ms. Wilson and some of the volunteers to go too."

Mac scrubbed the back of his neck with his hand. "That might be a problem," he hedged. "See, we kinda lied and told the kids their mom was sick. We didn't want to upset them more than they already were."

"I understand," Lee said, "but I plan on going out on a limb with the judge and could really use some back up."

"Don't worry, Lee. I'll take care of it. We'll see you tomorrow," MacGyver promised.

He hung up the phone and turned to find Joanna standing at the foot of the stairs, her arms wrapped around her middle.

"What did Lee want? What are you going to take care of?" she questioned.

He relayed the telephone conversation to her before they both headed back upstairs to get the kids up and dressed. A short while later they were all seated around the kitchen table for breakfast. Mac sipped a protein shake while Jo ran her spoon back and forth through a bowl of cereal. Picking up on the adults' discomfort, Davey and Suzy took a couple bites of pancakes before declaring themselves full. MacGyver caught Jo's gaze and they both knew it was now or never. So, over the half-eaten meal, they took turns explaining to the two young children exactly what had happened with their mother and that they would all be going to the courthouse tomorrow. When they were done speaking, Suzy climbed onto Mac's lap, buried her head in his shoulder and began to sob. Davey shoved his chair back and ran out the front door. Mac watched Joanna follow without trying to intercept him, knowing the boy needed some time to process what he had just heard.

Heavy gray clouds blanketed the sky for the rest of the day, aptly reflecting the mood in the townhouse. Once breakfast dishes were done and the children were settled in front of the TV, Joanna went to her house and then the Talbot's to collect court-worthy clothes for the next day. While she was gone, MacGyver called Cynthia and a couple other volunteers who knew Davey and Suzy well. They all agreed to be in court for Jill's arraignment and offered encouraging words. With those tasks complete, the day passed slowly and sullenly. The brother and sister had apparently agreed to divest themselves of adult interference and built an invisible barrier between them and their guardians so much so that after a silent supper of leftover pizza they climbed the stairs together and crawled into bed, leaving Mac and Joanna sitting on the couch to watch an old black and white western on television that couldn't even hold MacGyver's interest.

XXXXX

The courtroom was abuzz with activity when Mac, Jo and the kids arrived Monday morning. Davey squeezed Joanna's hand and clung to her side while Suzy refused to walk, insisting that MacGyver carry her. It didn't take long before he found Lee Vang, Cynthia, and a couple other Challenger parent volunteers standing in the front row of the gallery.

"Thanks so much for coming and bringing the children," Lee said as he greeted them with handshakes

"So what's the plan?" Mac asked as he settled a protesting Suzy in an empty seat while Jo did the same with her brother.

"Just wait and see," Lee smiled, leaving MacGyver to wonder how the man could appear so confident and optimistic.

A hush fell over the crowd when the judge appeared and took his seat behind the bench as everyone followed suit. Three cases were presented before Jill Talbot was escorted to the defendant's table where Lee waited for her. She was still wearing her housekeeping uniform which was now dirty and wrinkled, but to Mac's relief, her children were spared from seeing their mother in jail clothes and handcuffs. Once advised of her constitutional rights and having the charges against her read, she was asked to enter her plea. MacGyver watched as Jill peeled her eyes away from the judge only to land on her lawyer as Lee cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Your honor, on behalf of my client, I ask that you dismiss this case immediately and rescind all charges."

"Counselor, you are well aware this is not the time nor the place for such a motion," the judge warned.

"On the contrary, your honor, this is exactly the time. Ms. Talbot has two jobs she is currently at risk of losing as well as children who need their mother to return home. What happened last week is not my client's fault. She did what she believed to be in the best interest of her children. Any and all fault lies clearly with her sister, who is being tried and prosecuted separately."

"You're not going to let this go, are you Mr. Vang?" the judge asked the lawyer even as he eyed MacGyver, Joanna, and the rest of the Challengers contingent.

"No, your honor, I am not."

The judge sighed loudly. "Would all pertinent parties to the case adjourn to my chambers?" Though phrased as a question, Mac knew it was a command.

As the group crowded into the judge's private quarters, Davey and Suzy ran to their mother, each grabbing one of her hands and holding on for dear life. MacGyver couldn't help but think he saw a slight crack in the judge's stern countenance.

"Your honor, I must strongly object to this unprecedented turn of events," the prosecuting district attorney sputtered.

The judge pinned him with a steely gaze. "This is not a hearing so you cannot object," he reprimanded, "and even if you could, it would be overruled since I want to hear what Mr. Vang has to say."

Lee took this opportunity to pounce. "As you can see, your honor, the Talbot children are healthy and well-cared for with no sign of neglect. In addition, my client has never received so much as a speeding ticket. The D.A. has a weak case at best, so I suggest we save the court time and the Talbots a lot of distress by allowing them to walk out of this courthouse today as a family."

The judge once again turned his attention to the prosecutor who was nervously re-adjusting his tie. "Exactly what type of evidence do you have against the defendant?" he asked.

"I have an eyewitness, your honor."

"And what will your eyewitness testify to?"

"She found the defendant's sister unconscious and no children in the house."

"Can she testify that the children were in imminent danger?"

"No, your honor."

"Can she testify to a cycle of neglect?"

"Um, no, your honor."

After several minutes of silent consideration, the judge turned his attention to Lee Vang.

"Given the prosecutor's painful lack of evidence, I will make an exception and accept your motion to dismiss this case."

The Talbot's and their supporters breathed a collective sigh of relief before profusely thanking the judge and being led out a side door by the bailiff. In the parking lot, hugs and handshakes were exchanged before Davey and Suzy, along with their mother, piled into Lee's sedan for the ride home while Joanna and MacGyver climbed into the Jeep with promises to quickly return the children's meager belongings that remained at the townhouse.

Less than an hour later, the couple sat at Mac's kitchen table nibbling on a light lunch of fruit and yogurt.

"So, what are your plans for the rest of the day," MacGyver asked Jo, mainly to break the silence that had fallen between them since leaving the courthouse.

She shrugged. "Since it's technically my first day of work at Challengers I was gonna meet with Cynthia and start learning some of the behind-the-scenes stuff. You know, the stuff you don't like to do."

Mac allowed himself to smile at her quip before turning serious.

"It's been a pretty crazy past few days. Why don't you go home and start fresh tomorrow?"

"What about you?" she countered, sidestepping his question.

"I thought I'd pack up the kids' stuff and drop it off on my way to the club," he replied. His voice almost monotone.

"Sure is quiet around here without them," Joanna observed. "They sure have a knack of worming their way into your heart when you're not looking."

"No argument here," Mac agreed. "But there is one member of this household who's not gonna miss 'em."

MacGyver slanted his eyes to where Frog laid stretched out under the coffee table, snoring loudly.

A/N: This story is based on actual situations I have encountered working in the correctional system. Unfortunately, it is generally limited to the poor and minorities.