All In The Past – Part Four

The next morning MacGyver was just finishing in the bathroom when the doorbell rang, forcing his heart into his throat with the sudden signal of company of an unknown quantity and nature. He placed his razor on the shelf and grabbed a towel to catch the water from his dripping hair, walking down the hall dressed only in his jeans.

Stopping short of the door, Mac listened intently. He could hear Terry moving about in the kitchen behind him, but nothing from outside. Then he heard a familiar voice and let out a breath in a rush of air.

“MacGyver, you in there?” Pete called.

Mac unlocked the door and greeted him pleasantly, “Pete, what are you doing here?”

The older man avoided his question, but the pained look in his eyes and his next words were all Mac needed to know. “Where’s Terry?” Pete asked solemnly.

MacGyver leaned on the door, pushing it shut with his body as he studied his friend, looking for any sign of hope. But Pete simply grimaced unhappily.

“Aw man!” Mac exclaimed shakily, wiping a palm over his face and drawing on all the inner strength he could find to control his own emotions. Finally he took a deep breath, shaking his head miserably, and led the way down the hall. He dumped the towel on a chair and grabbed his clean T-shirt from the bathroom along the way, pulling it on over his still damp hair.

Terry only glanced around briefly as they entered the kitchen just as she was adding some milk to a cup of tea she had laboriously prepared one handed. “Hello Mr Thornton, how are you? Would you like some tea, or maybe coffee?”

“Coffee would be good thanks. Just black,” Pete answered. As she opened the jar with one hand, he watched her closely, trying to weigh up her psychological condition and predict how strong she was, mentally preparing himself for the worst.

Terry glanced back round whilst getting another cup down from the cupboard, “Mac?” MacGyver shook his head, indicating he didn’t want anything to drink. Terry turned back to her task, but he saw the brief pause in the movement of her hand as she finally registered the look on his face.

Completing her task, Terry handed Pete his coffee, picked up her own cup of tea and walked into the living room without a word. Pete looked at Mac, who shrugged helplessly then turned and followed.

Terry sat down in an armchair and Pete did the same. MacGyver perched on the arm of the sofa, tensely watching them both. Terry spoke first, to the surprise of both men, “So what is it you have to tell me, Mr Thornton?”

Pete took a deep breath and then explained the only way he knew how, truthfully, “The police received a tip-off a few hours ago from somebody who told them where the getaway car was. They found it in South Pasadena, abandoned.”

He paused to rub his temples against the stress headache that had been forming since he had been woken up at five in the morning by the police call. “There was a body in the trunk,” he continued quietly, “The police matched the identity against fingerprints supplied from the DXS personnel records.”

Pete looked up to find himself staring straight into a pair of green brown eyes, remarkably guileless and beautiful, and he wondered how he had ever doubted her motives and honesty. He swallowed hard, “It’s your brother, Terry. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t flinch, she barely even reacted, as if she’d been expecting it. Except, sitting so close to her, Pete saw the way her eyes changed, the way their sparkle died to leave a dull lifeless gaze. A look that spread icy fingers of hate coursing throughout Pete’s being towards the men who had done this.

“What was the time of death?”

Terry’s question surprised Pete. “Uh…….we won’t know for sure until the autopsy, but the Medical Examiner put it at roughly 1:00am this morning.”

Terry nodded and glanced at MacGyver, who was realising the same thing she was. Terry had woken up screaming just after one o’clock that morning. She had been right all along, something terrible had happened to her brother and, somehow, the close bond between them had signalled his fate to her.

Mac watched her closely, feeling helpless and awkward, waiting for some emotional reaction that he could respond to. But instead Terry visibly shook herself from her thoughts and rose abruptly, walking to the window behind her. For a long moment she stared at the ocean as if trying to decide something, then she spoke, a dull tone echoing off the glass in front of her face, “I need to see him!”

Pete looked at Mac, his face grey with concern, and he shook his head gravely. MacGyver got his meaning and stood up, moving to Terry’s side, careful not to encroach on the space she clearly wanted to keep for herself.

“Terry, you don’t have to do that. The DXS supplied his fingerprints and they matched. Fingerprints don’t lie,” Mac explained softly. “I’m really sorry, Terry.”

“I don’t trust the DXS, MacGyver. I trust you.” She turned to face him and Mac felt his heart clench painfully at the look on her face, “And you said he’d be all right.”

Mac swallowed against the lump blocking his throat, not knowing what to say. “Terry……. I,” he trailed off, moving a comforting hand to her shoulder, but she shrugged him away and turned to face Pete.

“Mr Thornton, I insist on seeing the body. Please arrange it as soon as possible.”

Mac winced at the way she referred to her brother, understanding how bad David must look from the way Pete was squirming uncomfortably.

“I’ll talk to the ME.” Pete stood up to use the phone, shooting MacGyver a look that told him to persuade her otherwise, before it was too late. But Terry was stubborn, it would be an impossible task, even for Mac.

“Please Terry, don’t do it,” he pleaded quietly. “Trust your own instincts. You know you don’t need to see him to accept the truth.”

“Yes I do.” Terry’s voice rose from its bleak tone, “You know I do. You’re only saying that to protect me. Well you can stop trying to protect me, MacGyver. I’ve seen dead bodies before, remember!” Her last words were almost shouted and Pete looked up from his seat by the phone across the room.

Mac stepped back in defeat, nodding slowly, his face shadowed in deep concern. Pete watched them, knowing they were both hurting, but neither wanted to show it. He sighed heavily as he waited for his phone call to be answered. He had one more thing to tell them, something that would be even more devastating to them both and he really didn’t know from where he would summon the will.

Pete completed the call and put the phone down. “The ME says you can go down to formally identify the body this afternoon,” he announced, standing up and walking back to his original seat.

“There’s something else you need to know.” Terry and Mac finally looked at him and Pete felt his strength almost fail him under the gaze of two pairs of eyes so full of suppressed anguish. He took a deep breath and then looked at Mac first. “The DXS want to take over protection,” he told them. “It’s their jurisdiction, and their employee who’s been murdered. We can’t stop them.”

Mac nodded slowly, knowing Pete was right, but he wasn’t prepared for his friend’s next statement.

“After the trial they want to place Terry into the witness protection programme.”

Mac slumped soundlessly against the windowsill, shock coursing through him coldly.

“What does that mean?” Terry asked in a strained voice, noticing the dreadful look on Mac’s face.

“You’ll be given a new name, new identity, and relocated. Basically you’ll be given a whole new life,” Pete explained gently, knowing the reality of what it meant to the two people here.

“What if I refuse?” Terry said shakily, struggling to absorb the implications.

Pete frowned miserably. “Terry we can’t protect you forever. All the time those other three thugs are on the streets your life is in danger. They won’t sit idly by while you put their pal away in prison for good.”

“Then what if I don’t testify?” Terry asked softly.

“Then one of the men responsible for your brother’s murder might get off scot free, and all four will come after you because of what you know.” Pete sighed deeply, “I’m sorry Terry, but you have no choice.”

Terry gazed at MacGyver silently, both experiencing the same pain and anguish, but unable to share it, as if a steel barrier had risen between them.

“So basically you’re saying that not only am I supposed to accept that my brother is dead, but that there’s no hope of ever finding his killers. And as a result my life here is also over,” Terry’s voice was stony. She turned to fix Pete with a gaze so cold he had to suppress a shiver as he nodded soberly.

“Remind me to send a letter of thanks to the Phoenix Foundation and the DXS for their help!” Terry said with a bitterness that shook MacGyver from his own numb shock.

He reached a hand to her arm. “Terry…….”

She brushed him away. “Excuse me, I need some air,” she said coolly, stepping past him and pulling open the patio door, hurrying outside and slamming it behind her.

MacGyver watched her walk away across the yard, Roadie trotting up to greet her and falling in step at her side. Mac swallowed painfully, realising that the DXS probably wouldn’t even let Terry take the dog with her when they relocated her. It had happened before. He had helped put people into the witness protection programme himself several times, but never someone he had been in love with. Mac gulped hard, fighting for control of his emotions.

Pete watched his struggle knowingly, his own heart breaking to see such tragedy once more befall his friend. “I’m sorry, MacGyver, I don’t know what to say.”

Mac nodded, wiping a palm over his eyes. “I love her Pete, I don’t want to lose her like this,” he admitted miserably.

“I know. But you can’t protect her all the time and if something happened to her you would never forgive yourself.” Pete paused to let his words sink in past the distress. “This way, Terry will be safe. She won’t have to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder.”

Mac nodded. Pete was right. He would lose her either way, at least this way she would stay alive with the DXS protecting her.

“Do they have no leads at all on the other three men?” he asked, clinging to one final hope.

Pete shook his head. “It’s as if they’ve dropped off the face of the planet. And we haven’t turned up anything useful from the search of Dr Fleming’s house yet either.”

He reached down to pick up the black leather briefcase he’d brought with him. “I’ve got copies of all the Phoenix and police reports.” Pete opened the case and withdrew a pile of manila folders. “I thought you might want to take a look at them yourself.”

MacGyver nodded, taking the files and forcing himself to focus on the facts of the case rather than the emotions threatening to overcome him. “Thanks, Pete. Did the DXS finally admit to what Dr Fleming had been working on for them?” he added curiously.

Pete frowned, “No. All I could get from my contacts was that he was developing a new chemical.”

“Some kind of drug?” Pete shrugged. “To do what?”

Pete gestured again, “Mac, I don’t know. This is the most frustrating case I’ve ever had. It’s as if David Fleming didn’t want anyone to find out what he’d achieved. We found loads of diskettes in his study that had been wiped clean with an electromagnet, we can’t retrieve anything from them.”

“What about the check of his computer files and phone records?” Mac asked bleakly. He had turned to stare out the window, watching Terry intently as she wandered around the yard with Roadie at her heels. Mac tried to figure out her reactions to all of this, he had expected some kind of release of her emotions, not a stony faced cold shoulder.

“Dr Fleming trashed his computer hard disk,” Pete’s voice broke into his thoughts. “First he reformatted it, then he opened the casing and poured acid over it! We traced a phone call from his study into the DXS databases. It looks like he erased all the files there too. The man really did not want anyone getting their hands on his work. And it looks like he was willing to die horribly before he’d give up any information.”

MacGyver finally turned to face Pete as the meaning of his words sank in. “They tortured him?”

Pete nodded gravely. “You have to dissuade Terry from seeing the body, Mac. It could push her over the edge. It makes what they did to her look like child’s play.” He winced at the memory of what he had seen in the morgue early that morning. “There’s no way anyone should have to see that, especially not his sister.”

“How Pete?” Mac gestured in angry frustration, “How am I supposed to talk her out of it without telling her why?” Pete shrugged helplessly, about to offer to try once more himself when MacGyver spoke again, his voice distant, his eyes turned back to the woman outside, “I think that psychologically she has to see it before she’ll believe it.”

Mac turned round to face Pete again. “Terry saw both her parents die when she was only ten years old, Pete. She has no other living relatives. I don’t think she *can* believe it unless she sees David for herself,” MacGyver said helplessly.

Pete held his gaze for a long moment before finally conceding, “Okay Mac. But don’t say I didn’t warn you. And, whatever you do, don’t let her see anything other than his face.”

MacGyver nodded in agreement, struggling to stop his mind from imagining what they had done to David and what they might have done to Terry if she hadn’t managed to avoid capture. Don’t even think about going there, he warned himself.

“MacGyver, I know that in the last few days Terry has displayed levels of strength far greater than most of us could hope to achieve, but don’t assume she has a bottomless well to draw on,” Pete warned him. “Keep a close eye on her, sooner or later she might break down.”

Mac looked at him oddly, his mind adding two and two and getting five. Then he realised that Pete hadn’t reacted at all to his revelation that Terry had seen her parents die.

“You pulled her medical records, didn’t you Pete?” Mac’s voice wasn’t quite accusatory. Whatever Pete had done, MacGyver knew he’d had a good reason, Mac just wasn’t sure what that reason could have been.

Pete swallowed dryly, his nod barely perceptible. “The DXS wanted to make sure she was a reliable witness. They pulled her records and then sent me a copy this morning when they realised what was at stake.”

“Why?” Mac’s face was a picture of naive confusion.

“To make sure she reaches the witness stand with her sanity and credibility intact, of course!” Pete lowered his voice, trying to regain control of his own frustration at the difficult position the DXS had placed him in. “They’re afraid of her weak spots. They don’t want Terry breaking down before she can testify.”

“She’s strong Pete. She’ll do fine,” MacGyver said. But his mind was racing, conjuring up other more insidious possibilities. “Are you sure the DXS didn’t simply want to know how easy it would be to manipulate Terry the way they did her brother?” he asked angrily. “Maybe they just want to use her up and throw her away the same way they did David!”

“Mac you don’t have any idea what David was doing for the DXS,” Pete argued reasonably, ignoring his friend’s anger given the circumstances.

“I know he did his damnedest to stop the DXS or anyone from getting their hands on his work! And I know what they’re capable of. I worked for them, remember!”

“I should! I hired you, remember!” Pete responded irritably.

A gasp from the doorway caught them both by surprise. Terry had returned in time to hear their heated exchange, her mind reeling as she wondered how David could have worked for an organisation as bad as MacGyver was purporting the DXS to be. And now she heard that the two people she was entrusting with decisions about her future had also worked for them.

Mac and Pete turned to face her, wondering how much she had overheard. “You worked for the DXS?” She stepped closer, gazing intently into Mac’s dark brown eyes, seeking the truth.

MacGyver nodded uncomfortably, but remained silent. It was Pete who took up their defence, “We both joined the Phoenix Foundation to get away from the underhand methods and hidden agendas of the DXS.”

“So you’re placing me under the protection of a government operation you neither trust nor condone!” Terry exclaimed in disbelief, staring directly at MacGyver.

The accusation that he didn’t have her best interests at heart hit Mac like a solid punch. “Terry it’s not like that at all! The DXS can protect you, that’s one thing they’re good at. The Phoenix Foundation has helped them relocate witnesses, they’re very proficient at it.”

“Then why can’t the Phoenix Foundation relocate me for them? Why do you have to hand me over to the DXS?”

Mac lowered his gaze, knowing he was the sole reason. He was relieved when Pete explained for him, “The DXS will not allow it because of your involvement with MacGyver.”

Terry looked confused until Mac finally spoke. “They’re afraid that I might go after you if I know where you’ve gone.”

“And would you?” Terry asked quietly, not even sure she wanted to know.

Mac looked her straight in the eyes and nodded slowly. “Yes I would,” he admitted, surprising himself with the strength of his convictions, and worrying Pete even more with the depth of his involvement.

Terry gazed at him for a long time, the look in his eyes weakening her defences and threatening to break down the barriers she had put up for her own protection. Finally she swallowed hard, fighting to bury her emotions as she posed the only question she had left. “When do you hand me over to the DXS?” she asked, turning to Pete for the answer.

“After the funeral.”

“And when’s that?” Terry enquired coolly, feeling like she had completely lost control of her own fate.

“Tomorrow morning,” Pete confirmed reluctantly.

“Boy, they sure don’t hang around, do they,” Terry muttered bitterly, struggling to suppress her shock at the swiftness with which her life would be over. She felt cold, as if her blood was turning to ice, a creeping feeling spreading throughout her body until she badly wanted to shiver.

“Please excuse me,” she said quietly, avoiding the gaze of both men as she carefully retrieved her teacup and dropped it off in the kitchen on her way down the hall.

Closing the bedroom door behind her, Terry delved into the holdall of her clothing that one of the Phoenix people had collected from David’s house. The shaking had become uncontrollable by the time she found a thick woollen sweater and Terry rapidly pulled it on over her T-shirt and sling. Still shivering, she grabbed a blanket off the bed and wrapped that round herself too. Then she slumped down in a corner, sitting on the floor with her legs hugged to her chest, rocking back and forth and trying to get warm.

~~~~~~~~~~

Pete and MacGyver watched Terry leave the room in awkward silence. Finally Mac swallowed hard and spoke determinedly, “We have to find them Pete. She shouldn’t have to suffer any more.”

“How? We’re running out of time before this thing is completely taken out of our hands.”

“What about interviews with all known associates? What about further interrogation of the man in custody. What about forensic evidence on the car to trace its location prior to being abandoned?”

“The police and the DXS have done all that and more already,” Pete said soberly.

“Maybe they have, but I haven’t!” Mac said heatedly.

“Their reports are all in those files,” Pete indicated the pile of folders now lying on the coffee table. “For now you’ll have to make do with the words and pictures, Mac, you have to protect Terry!”

MacGyver gestured frustratedly, “I know that, Pete! Don’t you think I know that? But me being here hasn’t exactly helped her has it!” Mac’s voice dropped to a low sigh, “Damn, why did she have to get dragged into all this. She’d be better off if we’d never met.”

“MacGyver, you know that none of this is your fault!” Pete said frustratedly, “This would have happened to her even if you hadn’t met. And the chances are that Terry would be dead along with her brother if she hadn’t had you to help her.”

Mac sighed deeply. “But why did it have to happen to her,” he murmured, “Hasn’t she seen enough tragedy for one lifetime already?”

“Mac, you know as well as I do that we can’t always save the innocent from being dragged into our world, but we can do our best to protect them from further harm,” Pete said quietly. “You have a little over twenty four hours left to do that for Terry. I suggest you use that time to the fullest extent.”

He moved to place a hand on MacGyver’s shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze. “I’m really sorry how this has turned out Mac, I truly am,” he said gently. Then he stepped towards the door, pausing at the entrance to the hallway. “The Medical Examiner will be ready for you by about 2:00pm, assuming you can’t dissuade Terry. I’ll be in touch if anything turns up.”

Mac nodded slightly and Pete winced at the lost look on his friend’s face. Then he sighed heavily and headed out the front door, planning on paying Sergeant Wisley a visit to see whether they’d missed anything vital. He couldn’t help being concerned that perhaps the lack of MacGyver’s analytical input was causing them to overlook something important. Maybe Mac would find something in those files he’d left him, assuming he’d get a chance to go over them.

It would be unfair for Pete to ask Mac to give up any of his last day with Terry just to put Pete’s mind at rest. Besides, there would be a few days before the trial. Maybe Mac could review the evidence once Terry had been handed over to the DXS. Pete winced again at that thought and headed back to the mail van that had driven him to the safehouse in secret.

~~~~~~~~~~

Alone in the living room, MacGyver felt the silence close around him like a shroud and he turned to stare at the ocean, seeking comfort in its everpresent ebb and flow. Yet somehow it only served to accentuate the briefness of his own recent happiness. It seemed impossible to believe that it had been barely a week since he had met Terry. It was probably the shortest love affair of his life. Sure, he’d had briefer encounters, but never with a woman that meant this much to him.

MacGyver only recalled feeling a love this strong for someone a couple of times in his life, so strong that he was willing to give up his world for the chance to live in their’s. Other times, even though he had thought he was in love, he had never been ready to commit to such an extent. He had probably hurt a lot of people over the years with that attitude and maybe this was his punishment, that whenever the shoe was on the other foot it would be his turn to get kicked in the teeth and left with his heart broken.

Well maybe there was still something he could do this time, maybe he would simply go with Terry when they relocated her. They couldn’t stop him, could they? MacGyver frowned, wondering whether it was possible or not and realising that the only way to find out for sure would be to ask Pete to look into it for him.

Mac glanced at his watch, it would be a while before Pete got back to Phoenix headquarters. He headed for the phone and dialled the number for Pete’s office, hoping his secretary Helen would pick up. After two rings, her familiar voice answered and Mac left a message for Pete to call him as soon as possible. Then he put the phone down and went off in search of Terry.

MacGyver worked his way down the hall, checking each room with a growing sense of dread, berating himself for not keeping a closer eye on her. He almost missed her sitting in the shadowy corner of the bedroom, but as he turned to leave he caught movement out the corner of his eye.

“Terry!” he breathed in relief, moving across to kneel in front of her, shocked by the visible shaking of her body as she rocked back and forth, a frozen look on her face, her eyes tightly shut.

Hesitantly, Mac reached out to take her in his arms, feeling her shivering against him. He touched her forehead, which felt cold and clammy, and suddenly realised she was in shock, seemingly a physical reaction to the mental anguish Terry had not yet allowed to manifest itself.

Mac scooped her up gently, whispering soothing words into her ear as he carried her to the bed, covering her with all the extra blankets he could lay his hands on in an effort to warm her frozen body. Finally he gave up listening to his inner voice quoting ethics to him, stripped off his jeans and T-shirt and got under the covers with her, pulling off her own outer layers of clothing, before wrapping her in his arms and holding her against him tightly in an effort to share his body heat with her.

After a while, her violent shivering began to subside to a tremor, but still Terry didn’t react. It was as though she had withdrawn inside herself so deeply she couldn’t find the way out.

MacGyver continued to whisper to her, encouraging and comforting, wondering if he should have called a doctor. Shock was a dangerous condition for the body, but right now he was more concerned about her mental state. Maybe this was the breakdown Pete had practically predicted for her. Or maybe they were underestimating Terry’s strength. Just because she had suffered a mental breakdown when she was eleven, didn’t automatically mean it would happen again. Hell, if he’d faced what she went through at that age he’d probably be in a loony bin by now!

Maybe withdrawal was simply Terry’s way to protect herself from the severe strain of what had happened, protecting her mind from the stress of the truth until she was capable of accepting it.

“Terry, it’s going to be all right,” Mac murmured determinedly, “We’ll find a way to work through this mess, I promise,” MacGyver’s mouth clamped shut, his throat closing over those last two words as he realised he couldn’t promise anything, and the full impact of what had happened finally hit him too. He pulled Terry even closer to him, absorbing the contact, not knowing whether it would be his last chance.

Mac gulped hard, fighting back the emotion that was threatening to overwhelm him. He lowered his head to kiss Terry’s temple, his face contorted in a struggle for control, his brown eyes glistening. He closed them in a silent prayer, his lips still in place on Terry’s brow when he heard her murmur against his chest.

Terry’s free hand slowly moved down his spine, causing Mac to shiver. He lifted his lips and drew back slightly, opening his eyes to be captured by the movement of her own green brown stare now focusing on him in confusion.

“So cold,” she murmured softly, her jaw quivering.

“Shock,” MacGyver said simply, hugging her tightly and rubbing warm hands over her back until her teeth stopped chattering noisily.

“Feeling better?” he asked after what seemed like an eternity. She nodded slowly, nuzzling against his warm body as a tremor of memory ran through her. “Where did you go?” he said gently.

“I think I was back in Austria on that mountain,” she admitted quietly, “Freezing to death.”

“Well, you’re okay now. It was just a bad dream,” Mac assured her.

“I wish it was,” Terry said bleakly, falling silent until eventually she added, “I love you MacGyver. I don’t want to lose you as well.”

“You either,” Mac smiled weakly, pressing his lips to her forehead softly.

For a long time they held each other, with no words left to say, etching the moment, the warmth and the feelings, into that part of the memory that lasts forever. Neither one wanted it to end, but neither had much choice in their own fate.

Eventually Terry spoke, a lost defeated tone, “They’re not going to let me take Roadie with me are they?”

MacGyver blinked at her, wondering how she knew, “Probably not.”

Terry was grateful for his honesty, her next question hesitant, “Mac will you look after him for me?” She swallowed convulsively, “I couldn’t bear to have him sent away to live with a stranger.”

MacGyver nodded. He’d always thought he had neither the lifestyle nor the time for a pet, but he didn’t travel abroad nearly as much now as he used to. He would find a way to make it work, for Terry’s sake, if he couldn’t find a way to stay with her.

“What will happen to David’s house and all my stuff?” Terry asked softly, her mind beginning to question further consequences as she faced up to what she was losing.

“They won’t let you take anything that can reveal your true identity,” MacGyver admitted reluctantly, knowing how he would feel if he lost some of those treasured mementoes that together made up his life.

“I have a box of stuff. Will you look after it for me?” Terry asked, “It’s just sentimental things, you know. Letters from my parents and David,” her voice was barely a whisper, “I’d hate for anyone else to get their hands on something like that.”

Mac nodded, shared anguish reflected in his eyes. “Of course I will, anything you want, I’ll store it. And maybe,” he faltered, trying to remain hopeful, “Maybe one day you’ll be able to come back for it.”

She looked at him, not daring to hope that it would really be possible. Her penetrating eyes made his heart beat erratically. “I’d like that,” she said softly, holding his gaze for a long moment, memorising the expression on his face.

It was impossibly hard to accept that in little more than twenty four hours she would be saying goodbye, never again to look into those soft brown eyes. She would never again feel the focus of his gentle gaze that always felt like it could probe deep down to her soul, seeing and loving her for who she was, not for who anyone wanted her to be.

It was almost inconceivable that they were going to lose this perfect match almost as quickly as they had found it. But at least they had found it. Their relationship may only have lasted a matter of days, but at least they had been given that time together. A time that would always burn brightest in her memory.

She rested her head back against his chest with a sigh, the light touch of her hand on his back increasing in movement, signifying her intent to make the most from what little time they had left together.

~~~~~~~~~~

When they lay spent and exhausted, naked in each other’s arms, MacGyver recalled the task still remaining to him. Hesitating to say it for fear of her reaction, “You don’t have to go to the morgue this afternoon, Terry. It’s not going to change anything. Why put yourself through that?”

“I have to Mac,” she said forlornly. “Don’t you see, David and I promised we would never leave the other behind. I have to know what caused him to break that promise.”

“It wasn’t his fault, Terry,” MacGyver said with a pained look.

“I know that, but knowing isn’t the same as seeing,” Terry said softly. “I don’t want to MacGyver, believe me. I’ve seen enough dead bodies to last the rest of my life. But somehow I have to do it before I’ll truly believe that David’s gone. Please?” She regarded him pleadingly.

Reluctantly Mac nodded, about to suggest they should make a move when the phone down the hall in the living room began to ring. Remembering his important call to Pete, Mac jumped out of bed, grabbed his discarded jeans and yanked them on, dashing out of the room to get it before the caller hung up.

“Pete, thanks for phoning back!” Terry heard Mac’s somewhat breathless greeting, curious to know whether perhaps there was some news on her brother’s killers. She gathered a blanket around her naked form and padded softly down the hall, standing in the doorway in time to hear MacGyver’s next question.

He was facing the window, with his back to her, when she overheard him say, “I want you to find out if the DXS have any serious security issues that would stop me from going with Terry.”

Terry’s shock matched the raised voice on the other end of the line that wasn’t quite intelligible from where she was standing, but she knew what had been said from MacGyver’s response. “Of course, I’m serious Pete. I want to know if it’s possible for me to join Terry in the witness protection programme.”

There was another pause before he spoke again, “No I haven’t discussed it with her yet. I don’t see the point in getting her hopes up if the DXS find a way to veto my request!” Mac’s words became cool, “I know what I’m doing Pete, just find out for me, please?”

As he replaced the phone, Terry dived back down the hall into the bedroom, not wishing MacGyver to know she’d overheard him until she had decided for herself how she felt about it.

“Was that Pete?” she asked innocently.

“Yeah, I wanted him to check something out for me.” Mac sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “You up to a shower?” he asked, changing the subject smoothly.

“Only if it’s a communal one!” Terry said with a delicious grin.

~~~~~~~~~~

MacGyver arranged for passage to the morgue from the safehouse in the back of a hospital supply truck. It wasn’t the preferred mode of transport for Terry, being windowless, but it was the least conspicious way to arrive there. Mac had to consider the possibility that someone could be watching for her at the morgue in the same way as they appeared to have been at the police station.

During the journey Mac very carefully explained to Terry the layout of the place, so she would know what she was letting herself in for. The basement level entrance from the underground parking garage. The windowless environment of stark white painted concrete. He asked her again if she was sure she wanted to do it, giving her every opportunity to change her mind. But Terry was determined, he had to give her that, determined and brave.

By the time the truck stopped at their destination, Terry was a picture of fierce control. Her right hand clenched tight until her nails dug into her palm. Her speech was down to single syllable responses, her gaze unfocused, but her jaw set resolutely.

Mac lightly took her elbow, leading her down the long corridors to the ME’s office. Then, together they then followed the chief medical examiner to the morgue.

The doctor found the appropriately marked drawer among the high bank covering one entire wall and paused to check one more time that MacGyver was really going to let her do this. Mac nodded reluctantly and the ME pulled the metal drawer open just a foot, far enough for him to pull back the sheet and expose the head of the victim, but not far enough to view or touch any other part of the body. And for that MacGyver was truly grateful.

Mac held his breath as the ME glanced at Terry before lifting the cover. Terry had lasted this far by the sheer strength of knowing she had to do it for David. Now as the ME pulled back the sheet, she recognised her brother immediately, despite the bruising and contusions covering his face and jaw that made her own slowly fading beating look like foreplay.

Beneath the signs of a severe beating was the unmistakeable tousled brown hair, snub nose and cleft chin of her brother. The sweet gentle face that had always seemed so handsome and strong to her when they were growing up. A face she had always relied upon for support and love at the worst times of her life. All the distinctive features that belonged to David were here. There was no mistake. This was him, or what was left of his body.

Terry let out a tiny moan, the tension leaving her body as her shoulders slumped in defeat. Denial was no longer an option, she could see that now. Her instincts had been right all along, but at least now she knew for sure. David was dead and he had been taken away from her brutally, there was no question about it.

Terry knew she was being protected from the true extent of the damage inflicted on her brother, but, from the head trauma alone, she knew that he’d had no choice in the matter. David had not left her behind through any fault of his own.

“Oh David!” Terry whispered in despair, swallowing hard against the bile in her throat, the feeling that she wanted to retch. Slowly she unclenched her right hand and lifted it to her brother’s face, tenderly brushing hair from his bruised forehead. She bent over and placed a kiss on his brow. “I love you David,” she whispered, “Always.”

She stepped back, her eyes still focused on her brother, gazing at him for a long silent moment. Then she turned and left without a word, slowly walking out into the corridor, feeling utterly lost and alone.

With a pained gaze MacGyver watched through the open blinds covering the window as she stopped and slumped down in one of a row of chairs in the hallway. Satisfied that she wasn’t going anywhere, he turned back to the ME. “What was the actual cause of death?” he asked quietly.

“Officially it was hypothermia,” the man replied with a frown.

“What! How?” Mac asked in confusion.

“Don’t ask me! Ask a detective how anyone can die of the cold in LA in the fall when the temperature hasn’t been anywhere near freezing!” The ME lowered his tone, “Besides it doesn’t really matter how.”

“What do you mean?”

“If Mr Fleming hadn’t died of the cold he would have died from loss of blood. It was simply a race between the two to see which killed him first.” The ME sighed, this kind of case was not something he enjoyed at all, “Mr MacGyver, the victim had several fingers and toes removed very crudely, he was also bleeding internally from the damage caused by a severe beating. With nothing done to staunch the blood loss, he was dying anyway. If anything the severe cold probably served to slow the bleeding and prolong his suffering.” He winced at the look of shock on Mac’s face.

MacGyver’s eyes were fixed on David, all sorts of things going through his mind. The most frightening one of all being what if they’d captured Terry as well. With that thought Mac tore his gaze away from the body and glanced through the window to where Terry was sitting. With his heart in his mouth, Mac realised she was gone.

“Aw man!” he moaned worriedly, dashing out of the room with a perfunctory, “Thanks Doc!” over his shoulder.

The corridor was empty and MacGyver raced towards the end. Turning the corner, he almost ran into a porter pushing a gurney with a body covered in a sheet, another delivery for the busy city morgue.

At the other end of the long hall he caught a glimpse of Terry disappearing around the corner and shouted her name as he ran to catch up.

Through the automatic double doors and out into the poorly lit underground parking garage, Mac glanced around desperately, fear gripping him when he saw no sign of her. But she had to have come this way!

He ran to the truck that had delivered them there, banging on the driver’s window to alert the Phoenix agent who had his head buried in a newspaper. The man had not seen a thing, but he jumped down to help search. Realising Terry would not voluntarily hang around this claustrophobic basement, MacGyver ran towards the up ramp, heading for daylight.

He squinted as the bright afternoon sunlight pierced his vision, his eyes watering as he forced them wide open to search the surrounding streets.

Half a block down near the corner he spotted Terry moving steadily towards the busy intersection, her brisk determined stride leading her the half mile down to the waterfront and the ocean she sought to escape to.

MacGyver yelled after her, even as he started to run, but Terry showed no sign of hearing him. She paused momentarily at the kerb, then the lights changed and the traffic flowing north-south ground to a halt. The “Walk” signal flashed on and Terry automatically stepped out onto the crosswalk.

Running to catch up with her, Mac caught a glimpse of a battered light blue van pulling away from the sidewalk opposite him. It speeded up as it approached the intersection in a westerly direction. Then, without warning, the van veered from its lane, cutting across the three lines of traffic now flowing east.

Desperately drivers tried to avoid hitting the fast moving vehicle as it raced to turn the corner, running the red light despite the pedestrian still on the crosswalk. Mac screamed Terry’s name again as horns blared, brakes squealed, and oncoming cars swerved out of the van’s way.

Realising the murderous intent of the driver, Mac ran even harder, his lungs and muscles burning. He rapidly closed the gap until he was just a few feet away, barely closer than the van that was bearing down on the woman from behind. But still she continued across the road in fog bound oblivion, her gaze fixed straight ahead.

“Terry!” MacGyver yelled one more time, using up the remaining air in his lungs.

Too late she began to turn, seemingly in slow motion. Mac dived towards her at high speed and swept her out of the way, rolling with her into the gutter as the van sped past, barely six inches from them. Out of control, it mounted the sidewalk just beyond the prone pair, almost hitting a lamp post, before it swerved back onto the road and rapidly accelerated away.

Mac stared after the van, noting that the rear licence plate had been removed, obviously to prevent identification. For a long second he lay in the road, winded and gasping for breath, his arms wrapped protectively around Terry. Then several drivers whose vehicles were halted at the red light, ran over to offer help and MacGyver stood shakily, gingerly lifting Terry to her feet.

Checking he’d managed to avoid damaging her shoulder even further with his drastic lunge, Mac brushed them both down and studied Terry’s stunned face. “You all right?” he asked.

She stared back, her eyes wide, focused somewhere beyond his shoulder. Then she swallowed hard and opened her mouth. “I have to get away from here,” she said desperately, a statement so full of logic that MacGyver really couldn’t argue with it. Turning towards the ocean, Terry began walking again, only halted by Mac’s hand on her arm.

MacGyver glanced around to see the Phoenix agent attempting to cross the intersection now busy with traffic once more. Making a quick decision and hoping he wouldn’t regret it, Mac yelled at the man, “Get the truck and meet us at the waterfront.”

Then he turned and walked down the street with his hand on Terry’s arm in a firm grip. If the ocean was the only thing that would help her over the shock, then he would at least make sure they covered the remaining few blocks together in safety.

Reaching the shoreline, Mac led Terry down onto the beach, feeling the tension in her body slowly ebb away like the tide. He slumped down on the sand with a gasp of relief and tugged Terry down beside him, carefully watching out around them as they sat in silence.

Listening to the waves persistently breaking onto the shore, Mac waited patiently until Terry’s soft voice eventually murmured, “I’m sorry, that was really dumb!”

MacGyver turned to look at her, relieved to see the life returning in her eyes as they focused upon him. “Why did you run off like that?” he asked gently.

Terry shrugged lopsidedly, “I think I was trying to escape…….reality.” She gestured irritably, “Pretty stupid, huh?”

“You almost escaped it permanently!” Mac admitted, worry lines creasing his brow.

“Yeah, sometimes my mind doesn’t seem to have my best interests at heart,” she attempted to joke feebly. “I’m really sorry, I had no idea what I was doing. You could have been hurt.” She turned to him anxiously, looking him over for any signs of damage. “You are all right, aren’t you?”

MacGyver almost laughed at the way she still wasn’t thinking of herself. “I’m fine. It’s you I’m concerned about.” He looked at her closely, more disturbed by the lack of grief and the brave face she was putting on than he would let on.

“I’m okay, I was just a bit out of it there, that’s all. It’s been,” she paused, inhaling raggedly, “It’s been a difficult day, I’m sorry. Maybe you should send me to the loony bin instead of giving me to the DXS!”

“Terry you have nothing to be sorry for. If you want to flip out occasionally do so, by all means. But next time at least warn me first! That way I can check for murderous van driving thugs in advance!” MacGyver grinned, glad to see her weak smile in return.

“I owe you one,” Terry said with a shudder, as she finally registered how close a call she’d had.

Mac cocked his head to one side. “Actually, after yesterday, I think that makes us even!” He grimaced slightly, wondering how many more attempts might be made on her life before Terry finally gave her testimony on the witness stand at the murder trial.

“We ought to be getting you back somewhere safe,” he realised, standing up and brushing sand off his jeans with one hand as he offered the other to help Terry to her feet. His mind was already figuring out the best way to return securely to the house. Down to Phoenix headquarters to swap the hospital supply truck for a bunch of decoy mail vans again, he reckoned with a sigh. Another circuitous, claustrophobic journey for Terry to endure.

Terry nodded reluctantly and took his hand, standing to gaze at the ocean for a long moment. She breathed deeply of the sea air, marvelling at how the ocean’s presence always served to relax her, enabling her to regain control against all the odds.

“Do you think the DXS will let me live by the ocean?” she asked quietly after a moment.

“I think you can insist on it,” Mac assured her, wishing she didn’t even have to contemplate relocation in the first place. He tightened his hand around hers, hoping that Pete would have an answer to his request by the time they got back. Then they walked up the stretch of beach to the truck and the patiently waiting, if somewhat bewildered, Phoenix agent, who was acting as chauffeur.

The journey back to the safehouse seemed endless and, the entire time, Terry’s mind was plagued with visions of what she had seen in the morgue, her imagination tormenting her with images of how her brother must have suffered. She felt like something had died inside her, some part of her turning cold and numb, dead to emotion.

She didn’t know why David had died or why anyone would inflict such horrific injury upon such a caring human being, but she did know one thing for sure. Whatever had happened to her brother, she would not risk it happening to MacGyver. His involvement had to end with her being handed over to the DXS tomorrow. Like it or not, she had to stop him from coming with her into the witness protection programme. It was the only way she could be certain of his safety.

Arriving at the safehouse with renewed resolve, Terry persuaded Mac of her need for some hot tea to calm herself and then led him outside with their drinks to watch the sun go down.

Roadie, having been cooped up in the house for the last few hours, ran amok around the garden and Terry sat on the bench beside MacGyver clinging to him like a weak female to stop him from escaping to use the phone before she could figure out a plan. Of course, sitting in his warm embrace wasn’t exactly a bad way to watch a sunset anyway, and she soaked up every moment, knowing it would be the last they would share.

As the sun finally disappeared over the horizon, Terry shivered slightly, nuzzling deeper into Mac’s chest and tilting her head up to kiss him, finding a responsive mouth that took her breath away with the intensity of shared feeling in their passionate embrace.

Her plan now formed, Terry felt horrible for what she was about to do, attempting to make up for her dishonesty by at least assuring MacGyver of the one simple truth behind it, no matter how much that truth would hurt. “I love you, MacGyver. More than I’ve ever loved anyone in the world. And probably more than I ever will.” She lowered her gaze guiltily until he lifted her chin with a caressing finger.

“You too,” he said with a smile so filled with love that Terry thought her heart would break.

The thought of never again looking into those deep brown eyes almost destroyed her resolve, but then she reminded herself of the face she’d seen in the morgue, of what could happen if Mac hung around her for too long, and Terry knew what she had to do. She snuggled down against his chest, relaxing in the protective circle of his arms and holding the moment for as long as possible before she would have to break the spell.

It was almost totally dark when Terry told Mac she thought Roadie needed a decent walk. Would they be able to take him?

“No, it might be asking for trouble, but I could probably get one of the Phoenix guys outside to take him out for a while,” Mac decided.

Finding Roadie’s leash, MacGyver hooked it to the dog’s collar and headed through the living room towards the front door, switching on a lamp along the way against the encroaching darkness.

As soon as she heard the latch click, Terry dived for the phone inside, hitting the last number redial button and praying her hunch would pan out.

Pete Thornton, still in his office as late as usual, answered immediately, much to her relief.

“Mr Thornton, it’s Terry. Listen, I have to be quick. I know Mac asked you to find a way for him to go with me, but you have to stop him.”

“What? But why?” Pete stammered, “I thought you’d be happy if he went with you.”

“Mr Thornton, if I could spend the rest of my life with MacGyver I would, but not at the expense of his happiness. If Mac gave up his existing life to be with me he might be happy for a while, but you know as well as I do how much his work and his friends mean to him. He’d be miserable without them.”

“But he loves you Terry.”

“And I love him too, more than I ever thought possible,” Terry admitted painfully. “But if I leave, he’ll only be miserable for a while and then he’ll immerse himself in the work that he loves. If he came with me, he’d be miserable without it, and I couldn’t bear to be the cause of that.”

“You know what you’re doing will hurt you both,” Pete said gently.

“I know, but you also know I’m right. Don’t you Mr Thornton?”

He heard the catch in Terry’s voice and knew how hard this was for her, but he also knew that she was doing the right thing, whatever the reason. He sighed deeply, “I’ll tell MacGyver that the DXS refused his request for security reasons, because his face is so well known it would endanger you.”

“Thanks Mr Thornton,” Terry’s voice was hoarse, her words constricted by the solid lump in her throat.

“Terry for the last time, will you please call me Pete!” he said exasperatedly, wishing for the umpteenth time that life had dealt a better deck of cards to this courageous young woman. “How good are you at memorising numbers?” he asked suddenly.

“Depends on whether I can relate the number to an event,” Terry admitted in a puzzled voice.

“Well if the DXS finds out, they’ll hang me out to dry, but I’m going to give you my direct line to this office. It’s answered twenty four hours a day, by a service if I’m not here and they always know where I am. If you ever need anything, just call me, okay?”

“Yes Mr Thornton……. Pete,” Terry said.

“The number is five-five-five-one-nine-five-six,” he recited, “Do you think you can remember that?”

Terry brushed a palm over her eyes. 1956. She realised the significance of the year. “Yes Pete, I’ll have no problem remembering that number,” she assured him. She heard a noise outside the front door, “I have to go, he’s back. Thanks Pete, for everything.”

With that she hung up the phone and dashed back outside to where she’d been sitting when Mac had left with Roadie.

In the Director of Operations office of the Phoenix Foundation, Pete was left looking at the phone wondering where he would find the strength to lie to his friend on such an important matter, knowing how devastating a blow it would be, especially now that Pete himself was beginning to realise just how perfectly matched Terry and MacGyver were. Both were so giving and loving, despite their tragic backgrounds, each one completely selfless in their acts of humanity towards others. Two such people deserved each other. How was he going to tell MacGyver it was not to be?

~~~~~~~~~~

When Mac came back inside having persuaded one of the Phoenix agents to take Roadie for a good long walk, Terry was still sitting outside on the bench, barely visible as the dark of night increased.

He halted by the phone and hesitated uncertainly, needing to ring Pete but dreading the answer he might receive. MacGyver sighed deeply, rubbed a palm over his face and picked up the handset, punching in the number rapidly before he could change his mind.

“Pete?”

“Mac! I was about to call you,” Pete responded lightly, “How did it go this afternoon?”

“0h um, okay, I guess,” Mac told him uncomfortably. “Actually we had a problem.” He explained about their encounter with the pale blue van. “There was no license plate, so I don’t know if the police will be able to turn anything up, but can you look into it anyway, Pete?” he finished.

“Yeah, right away. How’s Terry?” Pete asked with concern.

“She’s hanging in there,” Mac admitted, continuing rapidly before Pete could ask another question, “Listen Pete, did you talk to the DXS yet?”

The long pause on the other end made MacGyver’s chest tighten painfully and he swallowed hard. “What did they say Pete?” he asked hoarsely.

“They said it was out of the question. Your face and your reputation are too well known. Accompanying Terry into the witness protection programme would be like taking out an ad in USA Today!”

“No way!” Mac exclaimed in angry frustration.

“You know it’s true, Mac,” Pete said quietly, “You’d be endangering her safety.” He paused for a long moment, his voice cracking with his final words, glad for the telephone that prevented his friend from seeing the tears in his eyes, “I’m sorry, MacGyver.”

“So am I, Pete,” Mac whispered huskily, hanging up the phone without another word.

MacGyver slumped into the chair beside the telephone, sweeping his hand angrily across the table to extinguish the lamplight as he fought back his emotions. He knew that Pete was right, trouble had a habit of finding him anywhere and he’d never do anything to endanger Terry’s life. But sometimes he wondered what he had ever done to deserve the knocks that persistently tried to beat him down.

Maybe he was really paying for an evil past life, that seemed the only explanation. How else could one man be so desperately unlucky? Every person he had ever loved had either died or left him. Gradually throughout his life he had lost every member of his small family. Of the women he had truly deeply loved, a number that could be counted on the fingers of one hand, three of them were dead and one had become a nun, probably the safest place for her considering his track record.

MacGyver shook himself. Well, if the only way to ensure the same thing didn’t happen to Terry was by him leaving her alone, then so be it. Regardless of the fact that he couldn’t recall ever loving anyone this strongly, he would have to let her go.

Mac rubbed his eyes and stood up, standing in the darkened room to gaze at the dim outline of Terry still sitting outside on the bench in the darkness. He wasn’t the only one who had lost every one he loved and at least he had friends he could turn to for support. Terry was facing a new world alone and somehow he had to find the strength to help her manage a transition that would require all her courage and resolve.

Within twenty four hours she would be gone. He could grieve all he needed to then or he could immerse himself in work and maybe do some good for a change. For a start, he could review the investigation into David Fleming’s abduction and murder, make sure nothing had been missed. And, in the meantime, they still had one more night.

With new focus and resolve, Mac wiped his palms once more over his face and strode towards the French doors, determined to make the most of their final hours together.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was late that night, once Terry was sleeping peacefully, when MacGyver gently eased himself from beneath her outstretched arm and rose from the bed. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants, then padded quietly into the living room to retrieve the manila folders full of investigative reports from where he had hidden them out of the way in a drawer, not wishing Terry to accidentally stumble across any of the appalling pictures or typewritten papers.

Silently, he took them back into the bedroom, placing the files onto the ornate mahogany, leather inlaid desk in one corner of the room. Switching on the lamp, Mac pointed it downwards to shield it from Terry’s sleeping eyes.

MacGyver didn’t want to leave the bedroom for long in case she needed him, but he couldn’t sleep any more. He had to review the reports, to go over all the evidence. He needed to find something that would save them both.

Taking the first folder from the top of the pile, Mac opened it and began to read every detail.

~~~~~~~~~~

MacGyver was gradually dragged from a deep dreamless sleep by a soft nibbling of his earlobe. A warm breath blew gently against his skin and he felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck in spine tingling response.

“Roadie, go pester Terry,” Mac murmured dozily, his eyes still tightly shut, reluctant to leave the comfort of nothingness to return to the real world.

A soft ‘woof’ sounded in his ear and something stroked his naked back, producing goose bumps and other strangely sensuous vibrations for a dog’s paw. Slowly Mac realised the “paw” was too smooth and unfurry and the pitch and tone were far too high for Roadie’s normal bark.

With a delicious stretch of muscles stiffened from sleeping slumped over a desk for several hours, Mac lifted his head. A set of soft warm lips found his before he even opened his eyes and he circled his arms around the slender figure beside him and pulled her down into his lap.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Terry greeted him when he finally opened his eyes to see where her lips had retreated to.

“Is it?” Mac asked sleepily.

Terry tilted her head to look at him lopsidedly. “What were you doing sleeping at the desk?” she asked curiously.

That question brought MacGyver fully awake with a startled bump. Turning towards the desk with a feeling of dread, he sighed inwardly, relieved to see that none of the autopsy photos had been left uncovered. In fact all the incriminating evidence he had been reviewing, before falling asleep, was hidden from view. The only report visible was the extremely detailed and extensive one made by a Phoenix technician about the remains of David’s home computer, and suddenly Mac realised why he had fallen asleep in the first place!

Rather than attempting to explain his actions, Mac shrugged sheepishly. Gazing deeply into her green brown eyes, he pulled Terry towards him, ardently meeting her pouting lips with his own, until all thoughts were forgotten by them both.

~~~~~~~~~~

When MacGyver emerged from the bedroom, Terry regarded him appreciatively, “Wow!”

Mac squirmed uncomfortably in the constricting clothing, fiddling with the black tie where it met the collar of his new white shirt. “I think it’s Pete’s idea of a joke,” Mac explained, “I asked him to pick me up something suitable for the funeral.” Mac shrugged, palms open to reveal the result.

A grin curved the corners of Terry’s mouth, despite her sombre mood, noting that he had even managed to make his unruly hair look vaguely combed and tidy. All in all it was an even more devastatingly handsome combination than usual and it made her heart ache just to look at him.

“I’ve never seen you in a suit,” Terry said quietly.

“You probably never will again!” Mac said jokingly. Terry’s face fell and he realised what he’d said, mentally berating himself as he moved towards her, hating the way she looked, standing in the centre of the room alone, her eyes downturned forlornly, staring at some distant unknown point.

Stepping in front of her, Mac placed a hand on her shoulder, using his other hand to lift her chin to look at him. “You okay?” he asked softly, knowing it was a dumb question, but asking all the same.

Terry smiled slightly as if reading his mind, “Do I have to answer that?”

“Nope,” Mac smiled back, “I already know the answer.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead, sliding his arms around down her back as she sank against him weakly. “God I’m gonna miss you so much,” he said miserably.

“Please, Mac,” Terry pleaded, “Don’t! Don’t say it. Let’s just pretend we can stay like this forever.” She tilted her head to gaze into his brown eyes, “We’ll be in each other’s arms for the rest of our lives, okay?”

MacGyver smiled at the thought. “I could live with that,” he admitted softly and leaned down to kiss her, wanting to commit every moment to memory, whilst trying to pretend there would be plenty more chances. His attempts were foiled by a knock on the doorframe and a hesitant cough from Pete.

“Time to go, MacGyver,” he said quietly.

Mac nodded, drawing away to gaze one more time into those captivating green brown eyes, before taking Terry’s hand and leading her out to the car.

As they drove towards the chapel, Mac entwined his fingers with Terry’s. “Listen, if you feel yourself losing it in there,” he began hesitantly, faltering when she turned to gaze at him, “You know if you need to scream or anything. Just focus it all into one place and squeeze my hand as hard as you have to.”

“I might break it,” Terry warned him softly.

“That’s okay it’s been broken plenty of times before!” Mac shrugged. Terry nodded gratefully, relaxing slightly in the knowledge that she wouldn’t have to fight her claustrophobia alone for a change.

~~~~~~~~~~

They entered the chapel one minute before the service began, walking down the aisle to take the designated front pew, watched by a room full of sympathetic eyes. It was a horrible feeling that Mac had suffered too many times before and it made him want to scream at them that their sympathy didn’t help at all.

Now he felt Terry’s hand tighten around his own as she went through it too, an added stress to the claustrophobia that was already beginning to take hold.

He could tell from the tension in her shoulders and her downturned eyes, focused on her feet as though she could pretend the walls weren’t surrounding her. Under normal circumstances he was positive she could handle it, but these were far from normal circumstances. This was a church and that held too many connotations for Terry in itself, on top of the reason for her visit and the resulting impact it was having on her once happy life.

So it came as no surprise to MacGyver when fifteen minutes into the service his hand felt like it was being crushed in a vice and Terry finally gave in, leaning over to whisper through gritted teeth, “I have to get out of here, Mac.”

MacGyver nodded, lifting her hand in his and glancing towards the side of the chapel, looking for the most discreet escape route. There was a door halfway down the side wall, a heavy wooden exit with a huge metal latch. Praying it was unlocked, Mac stood, head bowed low, and ushered Terry along the pew towards the side exit, doing his best to avoid the curious sympathetic looks from the rest of the congregation.

Mac held his breath as he tried the door, wincing slightly as Terry’s grip on his other hand tightened even more. He could almost sense the scream building inside her.

With a rush of warm air the door opened and they hurried through, closing it behind them and finding themselves standing in the small secluded garden that surrounded the chapel on all sides, separating it from the main cemetery.

Terry leaned against the stone wall with a gasp of relief, her breathing ragged. Eventually she lifted Mac’s hand shakily and examined it for damage before gazing into his eyes apologetically, too out of control to risk speaking yet.

“It’s okay, don’t worry about it,” Mac assured her, barely glancing at the red marks that he could feel bruising his hand. “Besides, it’s not like I was using that hand for brain surgery in the morning!” he grinned feebly.

“I’m sorry,” Terry finally managed a hoarse whisper, “I used to be able to control it better than this.”

“Extreme circumstances,” Mac said with a shrug and a feeling of deja vu that took him back to outside the police station two days and what seemed like a lifetime ago. “Listen, we can’t stay out here too long, it might not be safe,” he said warily, knowing that the funeral was a prime time for the three remaining thugs to attempt another attack on the murder witness. “How about we just stand inside the door at the back?”

Terry nodded reluctantly, taking several deep breaths just as a couple of Phoenix agents came around the corner, after having spotted them leaving through the side entrance.

MacGyver waved them off and took Terry’s hand once more to walk to the chapel’s main entrance, hoping the service would not go on too much longer or he might want to scream himself.

~~~~~~~~~~

MacGyver showed the remaining mourners to the door and then closed it quietly, leaning his back against it to gather strength to face the final hour of this life. He listened intently, hearing Pete playing with Roadie in the kitchen where he and the two Phoenix agents had retreated discreetly. Then he heard piano music coming from the living room, hauntingly sad notes drifting through the open door, and he headed towards the noise. Terry had apparently come out of her hiding place upstairs.

For a minute he watched her from the doorway, sitting on the piano stool at an angle to him. He could just see her expression, still blank and unemotional except for an occasional wince when the music called for her to stretch out her left arm a little too farther than it was ready for yet, being fresh out of its sling only that morning.

It worried Mac deeply that she had still shown no grief for her brother, no emotional outpourings of her soul since the night she had spoken of her parents’ death.

MacGyver’s mind went back to the story she had told of burying her feelings and pretending everything was fine until it had broken her apart. He was worried that she was doing it again here, suppressing every emotion since the reality was too much to bear. Yet here she was pouring her heart out in music, lonely, grief stricken notes that could almost be sobs of pain and rage. So he listened and he watched and he fought to suppress all the same emotions that he was willing her to display. There would be plenty of time for him later.

Later! Mac shook his head. He didn’t want to think about later. He didn’t want to contemplate any time beyond Terry’s departure. He didn’t want to face it any sooner than he had to. But at least he knew he had Roadie and he had Pete and he knew that between them he would find a way to go on. To simply get out of bed in the morning and put one foot in front of the other. And maybe even eventually to be able to remember what they had together so briefly without being overwhelmed by grief and loneliness and frustrated anger.

At least he would have someone to turn to when he needed it most. Terry had no one.

MacGyver shook himself and stood upright off the doorframe, passing a hand over his eyes before stepping into the room as Terry’s playing ended. She looked up when she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, smiling at him in a way that made his heart ache even more in the face of her efforts to be brave.

“That was beautiful,” Mac said quietly, “Sounded kind of familiar, what is it?”

“Barry Manilow,” she said teasingly. “Well actually it’s Chopin, but Barry Manilow could be why it sounds familiar!”

“Oh!” MacGyver sat beside her on the piano stool, his left hand closing over her right, lifting it from her lap to kiss her palm. Terry moved her fingers to caress his cheek, gazing at him, memorising his fine features.

MacGyver’s right hand idly tinkled the ivory keys of the piano. “They’re all gone.”

“That’s good,” Terry said softly, “You know, I don’t know who any of them were.”

“Mainly work colleagues apparently, none of whom seemed to know anything about the project David was working on,” Mac explained. “There were one or two of David’s friends too. They all asked after you. I guess David must have talked about you a lot.”

Terry winced slightly. “I’m sorry I left you in the lurch like that. I just couldn’t face them.”

“It’s okay, I understand,” MacGyver assured her gently. A slight nervous look crossed his face, then he took a deep breath and delved a hand into his jacket pocket. “I got you something,” he said softly, pulling out a small gold paper wrapped package with a tiny bow on top, something that Pete had obtained, according to Mac’s specific instructions, at the same time as getting him a suit for the funeral.

Terry looked at the gift in wonder and Mac could tell she was as unused to receiving them as he was. It figured really since neither of them had families to produce showers of Christmas and birthday presents. To MacGyver that made this gift all the more special and he took her hand and gently placed it in her palm, watching her intently.

Terry examined the tiny parcel intricately before finally undoing the bow with her petite slim fingers. Mac stifled his impatience as she carefully opened every flap of the paper before revealing the black velvet covered box inside. With wide childlike eyes, Terry lifted the box and slowly pulled open the lid, “0h MacGyver, it’s beautiful,” she whispered. “Can I wear it?”

Mac nodded excitedly, “Here let me.” He took the box and carefully removed the chain, undoing the tiny clasp with dexterous fingers. He leaned forward and stretched his arms around Terry’s neck, almost distracted from his task by the beautiful scent of her so close and the way she tried to nibble his ear as it veered near her lips. Mac giggled slightly and pulled his head out of reach as his slim fingers connected the chain together and laid the clasp flat against her neck. He lifted her hair out from beneath and sat back to admire the effect.

“Perfect,” he declared, marvelling at how something so simple in its box could appear ten times as wondrous when placed around the neck of the woman he loved.

Terry fingered the fine chain, feeling every curve of the tiny gold heart that hung delicately from it. “Thank you,” she whispered again, her eyes sparkling and a smile curving her lips. “It’s lovely.” Then her face fell slightly and MacGyver frowned, wondering what was wrong. “But I have nothing to give you,” Terry said unhappily.

“You’ve already given me something,” MacGyver took her hand in his, “That smile!” He leaned in and placed a soft sweet kiss on her lips, covering her doubtful frown and convincing her sufficiently to be rewarded with another achingly beautiful smile that MacGyver vowed to remember for the rest of his life.

That thought brought him back down to earth with a solid bump as he realised it would be a life without her. He looked at his watch, his heart clenching painfully as he saw how little time they had left. “Do you want to change before they get here?”

Terry shrugged, then she looked down at the tailored black dress and the way it barely covered her thighs where she sat on the stool. She nodded, “I guess I’d better, this isn’t exactly suitable except for a woman going to the gallows.” She smiled weakly, “Then again, maybe it is suitable!”

MacGyver winced at the pain ridden joke and then stood up as she made to leave the room, admiring again the way the dress accentuated every curve and showed off her legs in spectacular fashion. He had never before seen Terry wearing anything other than jeans and he desperately wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked in that dress, especially now that she was finally free of the cumbersome sling, but somehow the compliment seemed too inappropriate given the reasons for her wearing it.

Terry paused at the door and turned back, catching the lower angle at which Mac’s eyes were aimed, somewhere around her butt she figured. Well nothing that she hadn’t been doing to him too today. She put out her hand invitingly, “Come on, I refuse to let you out of my sight until they drag me away!” she declared, deciding that gallows humour was definitely the only way she was going to make it through this last half hour before the government agents arrived to take her away from everything she held dear.

Upstairs in her bedroom, Terry picked up an ornate shell decorated box about the size of a large shoebox and handed it to MacGyver. “That’s my life!” she said simply, “And it was my mother’s before mine. It’s all yours now. Everything you ever wanted to know and weren’t afraid to ask!” she added jokingly. “Letters, diaries, mementoes, it’s all in there. And if,” she shrugged, “you know, if you ever want to read any of it, feel free. It’s not like I’ll ever get the chance again.”

There really was nothing he could say to that except to take the box in one hand and take Terry’s hand in the other, pulling her into his arms and holding her like he knew he’d never be able to hold her again.

Terry hugged him back, fighting to keep all her thoughts and emotions in check and simply memorise every moment they had left together. Finally she pulled away. “I’d better change,” she said, turning to the closet to pull out jeans and a sweater. She reached round with her right hand, awkwardly trying to undo the zip of her dress without twisting her still healing left shoulder.

Mac stepped across to her rescue, his fingers brushing her spine as he lowered the zip down to the small of her back. With a sensuous touch he pushed the black material from Terry’s shoulders, pressing his lips to her naked skin before drawing back to let her step out of the dress. He regarded her appreciatively, committing every curve of her body, every inch of her skin to memory.

Terry bent down to retrieve the dress, then turned towards him, catching his eye as she leaned against him seductively. “What I’d give for one more hour with you,” she whispered sadly, then she pressed her lips to his in a brief but meaningful kiss, before pulling on jeans, a white T-shirt and a sweater.

By the time they returned downstairs, Pete was waiting with Roadie, and the two Phoenix agents had taken up stations outside, watching out for the DXS people who were due any minute. Terry knelt down to play with Roadie one last time, struggling more and more to hide her tears, not wanting to show MacGyver such a weakness for fear it would make things even harder for both of them.

As a black unmarked sedan pulled up, Pete carried out her bag, which contained a few clothes and toiletries but nothing of any greater personal attachment as per the DXS strict guidelines.

MacGyver and Terry hugged and kissed a final time. “Promise you won’t look back?” he said softly, meaning not just for now but for the rest of her life.

“You either,” Terry replied, knowing exactly what he meant.

Mac nodded, biting his lip to hold back emotion that he knew would only make this harder. “Love you,” he whispered.

“You too,” Terry smiled weakly, “Always.”

Mac nodded. “Always!” he assured her.

And then she was gone, dashing down the path, giving Pete a peck on the cheek and a “Thanks for everything.”

Taking his copy, Pete handed back the paperwork he had signed to the DXS agent in charge, then he watched Terry get into the car, her eyes fixed straight ahead. He walked back to join his hurting friend and one confused dog, with tears in his own eyes to match the ones Mac was so desperately holding back.

The vehicle pulled away and Terry desperately fought the urge to look back, tears in her eyes. As they rounded the corner and her old life disappeared behind her, the DXS agent seated next to her in the rear of the car pulled out a neatly folded white handkerchief, unfolding it once and turning towards her.

“It’s okay, I’m fine,” Terry murmured, barely looking up from the twisting hands she was focusing her blurring vision on.

“0h, I think you’ll definitely be needing that!” an all too familiar voice sneered at her from the driver’s seat. The man turned in time to see the shocked frightened expression on Terry’s face as she recognised the ugly leer and smelt the stench of breath of the blond thug responsible for her fading bruises, and, presumably, for the death of her brother.

Terry’s terrified gasp was her last as the chloroform soaked hankerchief smothered her mouth and nose and she sank quickly into the depths of oblivion, her struggling arms doing little more than scratching the so-called DXS agent’s cheek before she passed out helplessly.

~~~~~~~~~~

The black sedan disappeared around the corner and MacGyver headed in the opposite direction with a perfunctory, “I’ll be back in a while,” to Pete. He pulled Roadie’s leash and the two of them walked off down the path to escape rapidly before Mac completely lost control.

They took the shortest route to the ocean and MacGyver slumped down on the sand, not caring what it might do to his new suit. Taking off the leash, he threw a stick for Roadie to fetch, but the dog wouldn’t leave him, as if he sensed the loss and felt it too, seemingly wanting to share the comfort of the man’s company. Roadie licked Mac’s face as he tried to bury his head in the dog’s furry muzzle to hide the hot damp tears that ran down his cheeks.

As if he had learned it from Terry herself, MacGyver found solace in the company of the ocean and Roadie. Until eventually he realised he had to go back some time if only to retrieve Terry’s box before the house was shut up to await its fate, be it sale or rental, depending on the DXS realtor’s decision.

Reluctantly, he and Roadie returned to the house, surprised to find an animated Director of Phoenix Operations buzzing around outside with what looked like a couple of DXS agents. Roadie barked to signal their approach and Pete turned towards the sound squinting with his failing eyesight, “Mac?”

“Yeah Pete,” he replied morosely.

“Thank God! Where the heck have you been?” Pete asked worriedly.

“Walking Roadie, why?” MacGyver glanced at the black looks on the faces of the people now surrounding him. “What’s wrong?” he asked, a sudden feeling of dread lurching acidly in the pit of his stomach.

“MacGyver these are the two DXS agents sent to collect Terry! They arrived half an hour ago,” Pete said grimly.

“What!” Mac’s yell could have been heard clear across the whole city as he began firing questions in staccato panic. “Then who were the other two? You signed the papers, how could they have been faked? They were right on time, are you sure this isn’t just some kind of bureaucratic foul up?”

“No MacGyver, it isn’t,” Pete responded gravely, “We’ve checked. The paperwork was real all right, only it wasn’t signed off by the department head. And these guys got a call to delay the pick up by an hour from someone purporting to be me.”

“Oh, this is brilliant! A witness protection programme with more holes than a leaky sieve!” MacGyver scrubbed a hand through his hair, as scared as he was worried. Then he got a hold of himself, knowing that panic wasn’t going to do anyone any good, especially not Terry.

Terry! A terrifying image hit him full on, the urge to retch almost overwhelming as he thought of what the gang had done to her brother. MacGyver pushed his shaking hands deep into his pockets and clenched his fists, swallowing hard to stop himself from throwing up in fear. For a long moment he said nothing, then, feeling control return, if not the colour to his face, he took a deep breath. “Okay let’s start at the beginning. Who signed the handover papers they gave you Pete?”

“Some guy named Dickson,” Pete said, his brow furrowed with concern.

“Okay, fine. So is he with the DXS or not?” Mac turned to the two bewildered agents.

“I’ll find out,” one of them said, heading for the phone in his car.

“Yeah, I think you’d better,” Mac muttered grimly, shaking his head in astonishment.

Soon the DXS agent returned, looking even more worried than before. “Dickson is one of ours, but he’s been under investigation for two months, suspected of selling secrets to the highest bidder. So far nothing’s been proved.”

“Well I think he just provided the proof for you,” MacGyver said caustically. “Any known or suspected associations?”

The DXS agent nodded nervously, “Apparently he’s been suspected of using those four hired mercenaries, that Miss Wightman identified, as the middle men in his sales.”

“0h great!” Mac ran a hand through his hair as everything slotted into place. “So he was trying to sell whatever David Fleming was working on, only David destroyed all records of his work before they could get a copy. They snatched Dr Fleming, but judging by the damage they inflicted he wouldn’t give it up. Now they’ve grabbed the only witness to the crime!”

Mac paused for a moment. “Something doesn’t add up here. Why would Dickson blow his cover just to save one of the middlemen from prosecution? He’s not going to gain anything personally from that.”

“Unless he believes that Terry knows where her brother stashed the information,” Pete suggested with a grimace.

MacGyver shook his head thoughtfully, “Dickson’s staking a hell of a lot on that slim chance.” He turned to the DXS agent again, “Did your people have any clues as to what Dickson’s current sale consists of?”

The man shook his head, “Not really, just some kind of drug.”

“Okay, enough of the cloak and dagger!” MacGyver exclaimed frustratedly, “You have got to provide us with more to go on! No matter how secret it is, you have to tell us what Dr Fleming was working on. A woman’s life is at stake here!” He swallowed hard, struggling to keep control.

“I’m sorry Mr MacGyver, Mr Thornton,” the DXS agent began in a troubled voice, “I have been told to inform you that the DXS will handle this. That you should lie low and await the results of our investigation.”

“Like hell I will!” MacGyver exclaimed, his anger flaring. “I am not going to sit back and entrust Terry’s life to any more DXS incompetency. I’ve already made that mistake once. I’m not going to do it again!”

“Mac, calm down, this isn’t going to help,” Pete put a hand on his arm placatingly. “I’ll have the police and all our agents put on alert for the vehicle they used and for Dickson. But for now there’s little else we can do,” Pete admitted worriedly. “Why don’t you go home and get some rest. I’ll call you if anything breaks.”

Mac stared at him pleadingly, but he knew it was useless. Pete was right. There was nothing more he could do here. Brushing Pete’s hand away, MacGyver pulled on Roadie’s leash and went inside the house to retrieve Terry’s box from her bedroom, the memory and scent of her still lingering in the air of that room with painful clarity.

He sat on the edge of the bed for a long moment of thought, before coming to a decision. Picking up the box, Mac took Roadie’s leash and headed downstairs, striding outside through the group of men without another word. He walked away, rapidly putting distance between them as he covered the couple of miles to the marina, formulating the execution of his plan along the way.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Pete Thornton finally got home later that evening, tired, dejected and fearful for the life of an innocent young woman, he found his answering machine flashing with a single message. It was MacGyver, much to the relief of Pete, who had been trying to contact him for a couple of hours to see how he was. But his friend’s short message struck fear into Pete’s heart.

“Hi Pete, it’s me. Sorry, but I had to do something. Watch the local news and you’ll figure it out. Hope you’ve still got that long range receiver in your study. You’re gonna need it.”

With that, the message ended, leaving Pete to contemplate the bleak tone of his friend’s voice as he glanced at his watch and scrabbled for the TV remote in time to catch the beginning of the late news broadcast.

“There was a new twist today in the upcoming trial of Samuel Curran, the man arrested for the murder of Phoenix Foundation agent Charles Franklin and an accessory to the kidnapping of Dr David Fleming. A woman in her early thirties, believed to be the prosecution’s key witness in the case was abducted this afternoon by two men posing as DXS agents. In the midst of the resulting investigation, a man has come forward as a new witness to the Phoenix agent’s murder. Our on the spot news team was able to obtain this interview just a few hours ago…….”

The picture switched from the local newsdesk to an outside broadcast. It had been filmed at a location that Pete Thornton recognised immediately with a growing sense of dread.

“We’re outside the downtown Marina, where we’re here to speak with a gentleman who has come forward as a witness to the murder of Charles Franklin and the abduction of Dr David Fleming whose battered body was discovered in the early hours of yesterday morning following an anonymous tip-off to the police.”

The female news reporter dressed in a smart green business suit turned to the tall blond man beside her. “Sir, why have you only now decided to come forward?”

“Well it hardly seemed necessary to get involved, since they already had a witness, but you know my conscience was kind of eating at me!” Mac feigned an exceedingly sheepish grin.

“And why come to the media instead of the police to offer your testimony?”

“When I heard that the other witness got abducted right out from under everyone’s noses, I figured I had no choice but to come forward. And I reckoned publicity would be the best form of protection I could get!”

The news reporter thanked him and the camera focused back solely onto her as she began to give more background details about the case.

Pete turned the sound down and wiped a shaky palm over his face. “MacGyver, what the heck have you done?” he murmured miserably, reaching for the phone.

Two calls later, Pete had established that there was still no answer at Mac’s houseboat and he’d summoned back his driver to take him over to check it out for himself. Waiting for the car to arrive, Pete changed into a dark sweater and pants and rifled through his study for the electronic receiver they had used on previous occasions to tail someone. Pete could only hope MacGyver’s transmitter wasn’t already out of range.

~~~~~~~~~~

Mac’s houseboat didn’t exactly alleviate Pete’s worst fears, displaying signs of a struggle, with upturned chairs, broken china, and the door left open. Without a doubt, MacGyver had offered himself up as bait, and that bait had been quickly taken.

Pete hurried back to the car and connected up the electronic tracker to the car’s a/c output, holding his breath as he waited for a signal. But down by the waterfront he could receive nothing. They had to find a higher point. Pete gave his driver instructions and continued praying for the welfare of his friend.

~~~~~~~~~~